VARIETY IN THE 
PRAYER MEETING 





Class ?A/ 2- 3 5 
Book__ , \ 
Copyright N° 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



VARIETY IN THE 
PRAYER MEETING 

A MANUAL FOR LEADERS 



BY 

WILLIAM T. WARD 
it 

INTRODUCTION BY 
BISHOP WILLIAM O. SHEPARD 




THE METHODIST BOOK CONCERN 
NEW YORK CINCINNATI 



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Copyright, 1915, by 
WILLIAM T. WARD 



APR -6 1915 
©CLA39822S 






TO 
MY WIFE 



CONTENTS 

chapter page 

Preface 7 

Introduction by Bishop W. O. Shepard 9 

I. The Place of the Prater Meeting in the 

Christian Church 15 

II. The Prayer Meeting Leader 27 

III. The Prayer Meeting Room 57 

IV. Advertising the Prayer Meeting 63 

V. The Opening Exercise 75 

VI. Prayer in the Prayer Meeting 83 

VII. The Prayer Meeting Lesson 101 

VIII. Prayer Meeting Testimony 113 

IX. Prayer Meeting Music 123 

X. Special Prayer Meetings 139 

XI. Some Other Things Worth While 161 

XII. The Benediction 179 

Appendix. Prayer Meeting Bibliography. . . 189 



PREFACE 

He who made the world likes variety. We 
see that everywhere. No two leaves are alike, 
the stones differ, the flowers bloom in myriad 
hues, the clouds shift in wondrous panorama, 
"one star differeth from another star in 
glory" ; each human face has its own peculiar 
features, each soul its own peculiar experi- 
ence; and heaven itself, we are sure, will not 
be after a stereotyped pattern. 

The fact that God's efforts are never formal, 
neither in nature or grace, in time or eternity, 
constitutes one reason why men love God's 
handiwork, why the "old, old story" as expe- 
rienced in life and related in testimony is ever 
new, and why we shall enjoy heaven forever. 

If our prayer meetings lack variety must we 
not in frankness admit that they are less than 
what God desires them to be, and should we 
not expect that men should fail in enthusiasm 
for them ; and, on the other hand, if we build 
them as God builds his universe of nature and 
grace, shall we not more perfectly please him 
and more surely enlist and hold the interest of 
men? This question has but one answer. 



PEEFACE 

To assist in the attainment of this fine 
quality this volume, containing plans and sug- 
gestions by the author and others, is sent forth 
with the prayer that, by its use, in some meas- 
ure at least, the prayer meeting may increas- 
ingly become a meeting that has no place for 
dullness or formality, but one that throbs with 
life, a service new and fresh, bright and at- 
tractive, loved of men and blessed of God. 

Liberal, Kansas. William T. Waed. 



INTRODUCTION 

Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled," 
and in the same discourse he discussed with 
his disciples the greatest of all problems. In 
saying and doing so he taught that the gospel 
stirs the mind while it stills the heart. 

To-day the Christian mind is stirred beyond 
question and precedent. 

The screw-beaten ocean paths between neigh- 
boring continents; the complex of wire and 
illimitable oceans of Hertzian waves which 
bind the world into a community ; the multitu- 
dinous literature which standardizes all think- 
ing and feeling; the rising tide of democracy 
in America, Europe, Asia, and everywhere ; the 
common interest of all peoples in the explora- 
tion and exploitation of all natural forces and 
treasures have made a new world, and none 
the less a new church. The church reads the 
Bible to-day in the light of the "new city," the 
"new philanthropy," social justice, brother- 
hood, missions, and a hundred clamorous isms 
crying from new platforms, "Lo! here" and 
"Lo! there." 



INTRODUCTION 

The mind is mightily stirred, but is the heart 
stilled? 

Who is sufficient for these things? Is the 
church, as now divided and more or less intent 
upon the growth of the various branches? Is 
even a united church, now so happily prophe- 
sied by so many overtures and courtesies, suffi- 
cient for the new world task? 

The answer to this question forever must be 
in the negative. As from the beginning, "Our 
help cometh from God who made heaven and 
earth," and who by his providences has 
brought about the new heaven and the new 
earth of the twentieth century. It is true still 
that "Except the Lord keep the city, the watch- 
man waketh but in vain." Without Him who 
wept over Jerusalem, and doubtless now weeps 
over Peking and Paris and London and New 
York; without Him who compassionated the 
shepherdless of Galilee, and doubtless has com- 
passion on the myriads of unhoused, unem- 
ployed, uncomforted, unsaved of our time; 
without Him whose love constrained Paul to 
his mighty labors among all perils and hard- 
ships and oppositions; without Him who is 
Vine and Way and Life the church will go 
round and round without progress, like a boat 
10 



INTRODUCTION 

pulled by one oar with much agitation of the 
waters and exertion of the rower. 

Our clearest-eyed prophets are saying, "Let 
us kneel before the Lord our Maker." They 
are reminding us of the neglected might of in- 
tercessory prayer. They are reminding us of 
the strength as well as the glory of being 
"workers together with God." They are point- 
ing us to the abiding truth that our sufficiency 
is in God. 

Among the prophets who send out a loud 
call to the church is the author of this volume. 
While many in our day deal with the problems 
that press themselves for solution, he directs 
as to the source of all power and sufficiency. 
He writes not for the brakeman, but for the 
engineer and the fireman. He deals with the 
indispensable and fundamental. 

This book will be found to be surprisingly 
suggestive. In the hands of an intelligent 
leader of the prayer meeting it cannot fail to 
be of very great value. Its suggestions intelli- 
gently used will kindle a multitude of fires on 
cold altars, and fan dying embers into a living 
flame. 

The author writes in the strength of the in- 
ductive method. He knows because he has 
11 



INTRODUCTION 

tried and proved. His own success is the war- 
rant of success to those who give the care and 
thought and prayerful preparation which he 
has given and which is evidenced by this full- 
est treatment, as I believe, which the prayer 
meeting has received. 

May its cordial reception and judicious use 
wing a myriad prayers and petitions to the 
Throne of Grace and Power. 

Kansas City, Kansas. W. O. Shepard. 



12 



"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love 
and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of 
ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but 
exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye 
see the day approaching." — From the letter to the 
Hebrews. 

"Where two or three are gathered together in my 
name, there am I in the midst of them." — Jesus. 



CHAPTER I 

THE PLACE OF THE PRAYER MEETING 

IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 



Paragraphs 
1-5. Its place in history. 

1. Such a meeting to be expected. 

2. In New Testament days. 

3. In the early centuries. 

4. In the Middle Ages. 

5. In the Reformation Era. 
6-15. Its importance. 

6. Acknowledged. 

7. Enhanced. 

8-15. Not fully realized. 
9. Socially. 
10-14. Statistically 

10. The statistical ideal. 

11. The question, "How 

large?" 

12. The true criterion. 

13. The Sunday preaching 

service and the prayer 
meeting compared. 

14. A standard proposed. 
15. In the literature of the church. 

16. An opportunity for the church. 



CHAPTER I 

The Place of the Prayer Meeting in the 
Christian Church 

"My house is the house of prayer." — Luke 
19. 46. 

1. Prayer is essential for the Christian, 
whiie to meet for prayer is a privilege and 
pleasure as great for the soul as gathering 
around the festive board is for the body. No 
wonder the prayer meeting is found in the 
church through all its history. 

2. The New Testament day had it. The one 
hundred and twenty prayed and Jerusalem 
had a pentecost (Acts 1. 12-26; 2. 1-47); 
"Peter and John," mark you, "Peter and John 
went up together into the temple at the hour of 
prayer" (Acts 3. 1), a Jewish service, in truth, 
but, nevertheless, attractive to these two Chris- 
tian men; the church prayed and Peter was 
delivered from prison (Acts 12. 3-19) ; and 
Paul and Silas prayed, the Philippian jail was 
earthquake shaken, and the jailer was con- 
verted (Acts 16. 25-34). 

17 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

3. The early centuries of the Christian era 
had it — in the open when they might, in the 
seclusion of the catacombs and other places of 
retreat when they must. 

4. The mists of the Dark Ages so obscured 
this service that it scarcely appears. 

5. The Protestant Reformation revived the 
prayer meeting and has brought it to our day. 
Now, all the evangelical denominations sus- 
tain it chiefly as a midweek service which 
meets upon Wednesday or Thursday evening 
of each week. 

6. Though this service as a rule is very 
meagerly attended, yet there is a conviction 
abroad relative to its importance: one says 
that the prayer meeting is the heart and soul 
of the church ; another that if the prayer meet- 
ing succeeds all departments of the church 
will succeed ; and another, that it is the spirit- 
ual barometer of the church — statements 
which embody much of truth; for the church 
has no service more fitted to be called its 
"heart and soul" than this ; a successful prayer 
meeting, too, quickens the true social spirit, 
strengthens every great reform, deepens mis- 
sionary interest and conviction, inspires larger 
financial endeavor, in fact, a successful prayer 

18 



PLACE IN THE CHURCH 

meeting does bless every church activity; 
while as an indicator of spiritual life it may 
well be called the "barometer" of the church. 

7. The importance, so admitted, is all the 
more enhanced in these days because of the 
fact that class meetings and kindred services 
for public testimony are not sustained as 
formerly. 

8. Yet, while we praise it well, there are 
some things which indicate that we do not 
fully feel the force of our laudations — that we 
do not even yet adequately appreciate its im- 
portance or give it the recognition which is 
its due. 

9. The social possibilities of the prayer 
meeting are not fully realized, and in some 
quarters are not realized at all. To mention 
a social service to many church members 
means to them anything but a prayer meeting ; 
yet this service provides the great social op- 
portunity of the church. Note its excellencies 
in this regard: There is no age test as when 
you announce a young people's service — the 
old, the middle-aged, and the young are free to 
come; there is no money test as must be the 
case when a money-raising social is an- 
nounced ; there is no sex test as is true when a 

19 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

women's or a men's meeting is held; there is 
no educational test as must in the nature of 
the case be in training classes and educational 
meetings — the unlettered have opportunity 
here; there is no official test as is implied in 
the meeting of the official board or session. 
Age, money, sex, education, office — these do 
not constitute a passport here : as wide as hu- 
man need, as wide as the gospel invitation, so 
wide is the prayer meeting welcome. Besides, 
as compared with the Sunday public service it 
provides the larger opportunity for intimate 
acquaintance, for the reason that it is, more 
than it is possible for the other to be, the great 
family gathering of the church ; furthermore, 
many socials, so called, meet intermittently, 
and, for long periods only occasionally, while 
this service meets regularly once a week, and 
that, too, at the time best adapted for social 
gatherings, namely, in the evening, thus pro- 
viding a constant and favorable social oppor- 
tunity. The minutes before the opening pro- 
vide opportunity for the joyous greeting of 
acquaintances and the introduction of strang- 
ers, while delightful social fellowship is pos- 
sible in the minutes during which the company 
should always tarry after dismissal. The 

20 



PLACE IN THE CHURCH 

church has no service that compares with this 
in social possibility. We will do well to 
improve it. 

10. Statistically, the prayer meeting does 
not loom np large ; in fact, it does not loom up 
at all. Pastors and lay officers are required to 
report figures for church membership, church 
finances, Sunday schools, young people's so- 
cieties, brotherhoods, woman's societies, and 
periodicals, but not for attendance upon their 
prayer meeting. If they make a record of this 
it is because they themselves choose to do so, 
their own pleasure and interest prompting 
them in the matter. Perhaps the fact that the 
attendance upon this service has been so 
meager has prevented the churches from re- 
quiring such a report; yet the necessity of 
making it, no doubt, would have incited multi- 
tudes to larger interest and more definite ac- 
tion relative to this service, and would still do 
so. The statistical ideal, we are ready to ad- 
mit, is not the highest ; yet it has the advantage 
of being so tangible that men readily recog- 
nize it when it is placed before them ; and this 
is of profit, for, it is better to recognize an 
ideal and fail in its attainment than not to 
recognize it at all. Of course, the might of 
21 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

prayer is not to be measured by the mere size 
of the crowd; yet all must concede that a 
church with many in its prayer meeting is 
more nearly ideal than one whose midweek 
service is supported by but a few. 

11. "How large ought my prayer meeting to 
be?" is a legitimate question for every prayer 
meeting leader. Let us acknowledge at once 
that all fields do not respond to the prayer 
meeting idea with the same degree of alacrity. 
So many elements enter into the problem that 
the same effort applied in different places pro- 
duces different results; the same leader may 
have a large prayer meeting in one place and a 
small one in another. Notwithstanding this 
admission the question remains for every 
leader, for the simple reason that there is room 
for improvement, no doubt, in every field ; and, 
as long as this is true, the question will still 
remain. The leader cannot, of course, guaran- 
tee results ; he is not expected to do that ; but 
in the face of his opportunity it is his duty to 
put his best self into the service, and that not 
spasmodically but incessantly. If he does less 
than this, and his service falls short because of 
it, he is by that much responsible for its fail- 
ure. Each leader's prayer meeting ought to 
22" 



PLACE IN THE CHURCH 

be as large as the opportunity plus his effort 
can make it. 

12. The true criterion of prayer meeting at- 
tendance, since the prayer meeting is, in a spe- 
cial way, the gathering of the church family, 
is not the mere number present, but rather 
that number as related to the total member- 
ship of the church. It is not "how many," but 
rather "what per cent." Some churches with 
a large prayer meeting in mere numbers, com- 
pared with others by the per cent standard, 
might not make so favorable a showing. 

13. The public preaching services vary in 
their per cent of attendance. The environ- 
ment of the church, whether city, town, or 
country, its location in the same, the distance 
its members live from it, the age of its mem- 
bership, and the desire they have to avail them- 
selves of its privileges largely determine how 
well its services are to be maintained; but it 
may safely be said that, as a rule, the larger 
the church the smaller the per cent of attend- 
ance upon its preaching service. There are 
happy exceptions, of course. A church of 
forty members can more easily have a one hun- 
dred per cent crowd than a church of four 
hundred members. The fact is a large propor- 

23 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

tion of the churches of Christendom do not at- 
tain a one hundred per cent attendance in 
their preaching services. Some are out of the 
community, some are sick, some are sinfully 
indifferent, and the transient churchgoer does 
not attend in sufficient numbers to make up 
for the absentees. The congregation which sus- 
tains a one hundred per cent preaching service 
throughout the year is to be congratulated. 
But, though attendance upon the regular 
preaching service comes short of one hundred 
per cent, there are several reasons why prayer 
meeting attendance should be even smaller: 

( 1 ) The prayer meeting is a midweek service. 

(2) The unsaved of the community are not 
drawn to it in such large numbers. (3) Fewer 
transients attend. (4) Many church members 
who will attend the Sunday services have no 
desire to attend the midweek service. 

II. The twofold fact that attendance upon 
the Sunday services of the church as a rule is 
less than one hundred per cent of the member- 
ship, and that, for evident reasons, prayer 
meeting attendance must be still smaller, does 
not justify the feeling that any sort of re- 
sponse to the prayer meeting invitation will 
do. Evidently that feeling has been abroad 

24 



PLACE IN THE CHURCH 

too much already. The response has been 
meager. The prayer meeting is small — too 
small. No argument is needed to prove it ; it 
is a fact universally admitted. How small? 
Answer : average attendance for the year, five 
per cent, ten per cent, fifteen per cent, yes, in 
some cases, twenty per cent, and occasionally, 
twenty-five per cent. Very well. But all 
things considered, ought not our prayer meet- 
ing attendance equal thirty-three and one 
third per cent of our church membership? At 



That per cent would provide incentive for all ; 
it would be achieved by multitudes ; and many 
who would fail in fully realizing it would be 
encouraged by the fact that they had come 
nearer reaching the standard than if computed 
upon a one hundred per cent basis. Let it be 
known that when a church's prayer meeting 
attendance equals thirty-three and one third 
per cent of its membership that church has 
a one hundred per cent prayer meeting, at 
once a new thrill of interest will quicken the 
pulses of the membership of that church. The 
possible inspires effort; the hopelessness of 
achieving the impossible paralyzes it. Thirty- 

25 



VAEIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

three and one third per cent equals one hun- 
dred per cent ! That is possible ! To the pos- 
sibility of attaining such an ideal, let the 
churches add\ the requirement of annual re- 
ports as to attendance, and the prayer meet- 
ing, no doubt, will come into a new day. 

15. Again, we write myriads of books upon 
other phases of the work of the church, but so 
far but little space is required of our library 
shelf to hold all the volumes that have been 
written upon the prayer meeting. 

16. Our failure to recognize the importance 
of the prayer meeting socially, our refusal to 
recognize the prayer meeting statistically, and 
our slowness to create a prayer meeting litera- 
ture reveal the need which constitutes the op- 
portunity for the church, which, if improved, 
will make the prayer meeting what it ought to 
be, while the church as a result will become 
as never before in her assurance "clear as the 
sun," in her character "fair as the moon," and 
in the might of her power "terrible as an army 
with banners." 



26 



CHAPTER II 
THE PRAYER MEETING LEADED 



Paragraph 

17. The pivotal man. 

18. Shifting responsibility. 

19. Four phases of subject 

The Leader's Personal Experience 

20. Necessary. 

The Leader's Personal Attitude Toward the 
Prater Meeting 

21. Belief in it. 

22. Love for it. 

23. Enthusiasm concerning it. 

24. Expectation for it. 

The Leader's Work in Preparation 

25. A general before the battle, he plans. 

26. He studies. 

27. He prays. 

28. He trusts. 

The Leader in the Meeting 

29. The question of apology. 

. 30. A general in the battle, he leads. 

31. Posture. 

32. When to begin. 

33. Make service largely voluntary. 

34. Complaining. 

35. As to being glad, and saying so 

36. Dealing with blunderers. 

37. Meeting "breaks." 
38, 39. Securing variety. 

38. Leader responsible for. 

39. How to obtain. 

40. As to introducing new things. 

41. Monopolizing the time. 

42. Superfluity of comment. 

43. Giving definite tasks. 

44. Surrendering the meeting. 

45. Making the prayer meeting really such. 

46. The "at home" character of the meeting. 

47. Exalting God and his Word. 

48. The invitation to accept Jesus. 

49. Time, how long? 
50, 51. Closing. 

50. When? 

51. Exception. 



CHAPTER II 

The Prayer Meeting Leader 

"I have chosen you, and ordained you." — John 
15. 16. 

17. Mr. Moody once said, "Where one fails 
in the pulpit, I believe fifty fail in the prayer 
meeting," a statement the truth of which 
should challenge every preacher, for in the 
organization of the church of to-day the 
preacher is responsible not only for the Sun- 
day but for the midweek service as well. He 
is the pivotal man in both. Our Sunday 
schools have their superintendents, our class 
meetings their lay leaders, our brotherhoods, 
clubs, women's societies, and young people's 
organizations their presidents, but the head- 
ship of the prayer meeting inheres in the pas- 
tor. When these other organizations fail the 
pastor in a measure escapes whatever reflec- 
tion is attached thereto, but when the prayer 
meeting fails he is the responsible head in- 
volved. Yet we fail fifty to one, and, what is 
29 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

worse, we are all too often content to have it 
so. Part of the justification of Mr. Moody's 
statement lies in the fact that as pastors we 
feel the importance of and give ourselves to 
preparation for preaching, but we do not so in- 
sistently feel the importance of nor so defi- 
nitely give ourselves to preparation for prayer 
meeting leading. We make the Sunday service ; 
we let the prayer meeting happen. We suc- 
ceed in the one; we fail in the other. When 
we occasionally fail in the one we blush ; when 
we continually fail in the other we take it as a 
matter of course ; and until we as leaders feel 
the importance of this service and give to it 
time and effort, we may expect it to continue 
largely as it is. 

18. The wise pastor, however, not only re- 
fuses to minify the relation he bears to his 
prayer meeting, he also refuses to shirk the 
responsibility it lays upon him. He invariably 
leads his own meeting. Laymen of marked 
ability, superannuate and supernumerary min- 
isters, and fellow ministers who occupy high 
positions in the church may be present, but he 
will not yield his prayer meeting privilege any 
more than he would yield his pulpit privilege ; 
nor would they, if they be wise, take affront at 

30 



THE PRAYER MEETING LEADER 

his failure to do so ; if they be not wise there is 
all the more reason for him to walk in the path 
of his own duty. His people look to him for 
leadership and he will not disappoint them. In 
shaping his meetings he will be glad to recog- 
nize his brethren, lay and clerical, and, in his 
absence, will commit the service to the leader- 
ship of some layman or minister, and will help 
the one chosen by urging his people to give the 
new leader the same hearty support they 
accord him. 

19. To the prayer meeting leader — the piv- 
otal man — four things are vital : his personal 
experience; his attitude toward the prayer 
meeting; his work in preparation; and his 
work in the meeting. 

THE LEADER'S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 

20. The first necessity of a prayer meeting 
leader is a personal Christian experience. "As 
the priest, so the people" can truly and appro- 
priately be modified into "As the prayer meet- 
ing leader, so the prayer meeting company." 
Now, in God's great plan the leader is respon- 
sible for his personal experience. Since this is 
true, should he discover any lack in his life, 
knowing that Jesus has provided abundance 

31 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

of grace, that God is anxious to bestow it, and 
that the Holy Ghost is eager to bring it, let 
him give himself to God with abandon, and by 
faith claim the riches of "the fullness of the 
blessing of the gospel of Christ." Thus will he 
become a Canaan dweller. The milk and 
honey, the figs and pomegranates of that 
goodly land will continually refresh his soul. 
There will be about his life joy and cheer and 
warmth. He will not be known as an Israelite 
weeping by the rivers of Babylon, but as a dis- 
ciple in the full flush of a pentecostal experi- 
ence. King David's experience, "My cup run- 
neth over," will be his also; and the people 
who come into his meeting will know it is so, 
and more, they will share the joy of his over- 
flowing heart. 

THE LEADER'S PERSONAL ATTITUDE TOWARD THE 
PRAYER MEETING 

21. It is possible for a man who really loves 
God to feel that, after all, the prayer meeting 
does not amount to much. This feeling, of 
course, is fatal to every prayer meeting inter- 
est and endeavor. However much observation 
may tend to confirm that opinion, yet the 
prayer meeting leader who would succeed 

32 



THE PRAYER MEETING LEADER 

must keep his faith in the possibilities of this 
service — he must believe in this means of 
grace. If he is tempted to doubt its worth, let 
him again take a glance at Jerusalem stirred 
after the ten-day prayer meeting, or at Peter 
led out of prison by an angel in answer to the 
prayers of his fellows, or at the quaking Phi- 
lippian jail when Paul and Silas prayed, and 
his doubts as to the worth of united prayer 
will be effectually dispelled. Moreover, if he 
will but open his eyes, there are answers 
enough to united prayers in these days in mis- 
sionary triumphs, in revival victories, in per- 
sonal life to mightily strengthen his faith. 
This faith, when attained, is of the sort that, 
when an organized class, the choir, some club 
or other society desires to use the prayer meet- 
ing hour for its own purpose "because all the 
other evenings are taken," refuses to consider 
the great midweek service a convenience which 
may be shifted at anybody's and everybody's 
will, but a necessity which not only merits but 
must have right of way. 

22. The leader must not only believe in the 
prayer meeting, he must love it. He must 
look for its coming as those who wait for the 
morning. When he sings, "Sweet hour of 

33 



VAEIETY IN THE PEAYER MEETING 

prayer, sweet hour of prayer," it should be not 
merely with his lips, but with his heart also. 
Now, love can be cultivated, and, if any leader 
finds he is lacking in this affection as related 
to the prayer meeting and will set himself to 
the beautiful task of nurturing it, he will find 
it grow to his heart's comfort, and the service 
become, instead of a weekly grind, a weekly 
delight. 

23. Faith in the prayer meeting and love for 
it must eventuate in enthusiasm concerning it. 
It will have a place in the leader's thought and 
conversation, at home and abroad, and this 
even though his meeting be big in numbers or 
small. A friend of the author's knew this se- 
cret. When he took up a certain pastorate he 
found no prayer meeting. He at once an- 
nounced the service, but when the evening 
arrived, no one but himself came. He sang 
and prayed, and rejoiced in God alone. This 
he did many weeks. Meanwhile Sunday by 
Sunday he kept telling the people how glorious 
the prayer meetings were. He was not misrep- 
resenting, either, for he knew what each of us 
should know, that is, how to have a prayer 
service by one's self and enjoy it. Finally, one 
day at the Ladies' Aid Society one woman 

34 



THE PRAYER MEETING LEADER 

raised the question as to who had been going 
to prayer meeting. It developed that none of 
those present had been there. They decided to 
go, and on the next prayer meeting night the 
pastor's cup of joy was full when his Ladies' 
Aid Society marched in. A great revival fol- 
lowed. A pastor's enthusiasm over a series of 
prayer meetings where he was the only attend- 
ant won the day. Enthusiasm bestowed upon 
this service is never in vain; it is a never- 
failing magnet — it always attracts. 

24. The leader must expect his meetings to 
grow. And why not? Faith in and love and 
enthusiasm for the service, together with the 
fact that prayer meeting attendance in all the 
world is very meager not only makes possible 
but should incite that expectation. Sad in- 
deed that so many leaders do not seem to have 
any thought about the growth of this service. 
They do not seem to see the possibility. What 
an opportunity for accomplishing something 
tangible they miss ! Two hundred members in 
the church and but ten at prayer meeting! 
Could not ten more be persuaded to come? If 
so, a one hundred per cent gain could be re- 
ported ; and if twenty more would come a two 
hundred per cent gain would be achieved. That 

35 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

would be something to shout over. That pos- 
sibility is found in thousands of the churches 
of our day. The leader should have the vision 
of that possibility as it applies to his own 
prayer meeting; and when he has it he will 
have a heart big with expectation till that 
vision is realized. 

THE LEADER'S WORK IN PREPARATION 

25. The leader in preparation is a general 
before the battle, and as such does not leave 
the meeting to the caprice of mere chance. The 
field and the forces engage him. He plans. 
The next meeting is in his thought; he also 
has in view the campaign for weeks to come. 

26. He not only formulates plans, he sets 
himself to the work of preparation for their 
execution. He studies, and in doing so does 
not hesitate to use all available helps. Know- 
ing that books and periodicals are published 
and sold for use, he acts accordingly. The 
prayer meeting talk may not require the effort 
in quantity the Sunday sermon does; but it 
receives its due share in quality. He not only 
prepares for the meeting by the study of books 
but also by observation of things and of men. 
He is constantly on the alert for ideas and 

36 



THE PEAYER MEETING LEADER 

suggestions from all sources. Conversation 
with Christian workers, and attendance upon 
the midweek and Sunday services of other con- 
gregations, upon conferences and associations, 
conventions and institutes, provide many 
things which find their way into his midweek 
service. Thus he measures up to his prayer 
meeting privilege as well as to his pulpit 
privilege; and in so doing, the more* nearly 
realizes the ideal of the true minister of the 
gospel. 

27. He prays. He is well acquainted with 
God and they talk together about the meeting. 
He tells God of his disappointments and 
praises him for his triumphs; he whispers 
into the divine ear his deepest wish for him- 
self and for his people; while God, in turn, 
pours out upon him the fullness of his grace 
and makes him a man with a burning heart, 
a man with an overflowing soul. 

28. Having planned and studied and prayed 
he trusts it all to God, being willing that his 
plans may, under the immediate leadership of 
the Holy Spirit, yield to something else. Vic- 
tory is his before he enters the service. It 
could not be otherwise. And whether one or 
many come God receives glory. 

37 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 
THE LEADER IN THE MEETING 

29. If anyone called to this high privilege 
should esteem it so lightly as to come before 
his company at any time with indifferent prep- 
aration, and should be tempted to apologize 
therefor, let him refrain ; no need to take time 
for that humiliating procedure; the service 
itself very likely will advertise his failure and 
publish his shame. 

30. The leader in preparation is a general 
before the battle ; the leader in the meeting is 
a general in the battle. In the one he must 
command himself; in the other he must com- 
mand others. But when he commands it must 
be by saying "come" and not "go." He must 
have the spirit of the great "Commander," 
who is also the "Good Shepherd." In Prot- 
estantism the age of the dictator is past. Our 
people think. They have feelings. They have 
rights. Our prayer meeting folks are men and 
women. They do not come to the service to be 
driven, but to be led. To this end they gladly 
place themselves under the care of the leader, 
who they think will measure up to his 
privilege. They want new vision; they want 
to be taken to the heights; and happy is that 
leader whose spirit, manner, and word is, 

38 



THE PRAYER MEETING LEADER 

"Come with me and we will together see the 
delectable mountains." 

31. As a general he should always stand un- 
less he be upon his knees with the company in 
prayer. The leader who announces a hymn 
and then drops into a chair so that he can 
readily see the faces of only a few, or worse 
still, sits down in a pew with his back to the 
company, is in a fair way to lose the battle. 
An alert leader standing upon the floor, where 
face readily meets face, commands. Coun- 
tenances speak when voices are silent, and the 
standing leader can tell from the faces of his 
people how the battle goes. He is readily 
aware of impending defeat and can bring up 
his reserves. He is equally aware of victory 
and is enabled to push it on to greater tri- 
umph. More than this, while there is help in 
the faces of the company for him, there is also 
help in his face for the company. Outside of 
seasons of prayer there are only two occasions 
when the leader should sit down : When spe- 
cial music is being rendered, or when some one 
else is presenting the Scripture lesson or some 
other special subject. 

32. Begin on time. God does. Sunrise 
never lags. If the prayer meeting conforms to 

39 



VARIETY IX THE PRAYER MEETING 

this good rule, it must be because the leader 
wills it. The leader who is at home when the 
second bell rings is sure to have a tardy meet- 
ing, for a late leader means a late people. It 
is no excuse to say the people are not there. 
The janitor, no doubt, is there, and he is 
enough to begin with ; and if he fails the leader 
may and should begin with himself. An ac- 
quaintance of the author's went to his first 
Sunday evening service in a new pastorate. 
The ringing of the second bell found only the 
janitor and himself present. He announced 
the hymn. They sang. He prayed. The serv- 
ice proceeded. The congregation sifted in 
through the progress of the exercises. They 
seemed chagrined. They had never seen it 
after this fashion. The former pastor, a good 
man, had been accustomed to wait for them; 
the new pastor evidently was going to be dif- 
ferent. Suffice it to say, he never had to begin 
a service with only the janitor again. The 
thing this preacher did on Sunday evening 
should be done on every prayer meeting eve- 
ning, regardless of how many are there. Be- 
gin on time. Because the prayer meeting 
crowd is smaller than the Sunday crowd the 
temptation to wait will be greater, but the 

40 



THE PRAYER MEETING LEADER 

leader must not yield to it. There is some- 
thing thrilling in the fact that when the time 
of opening arrives and the bell ceases ringing 
all the people of the chnrch community, the 
shut-ins, women and children in their homes, 
men in their places of business, those whom 
necessity requires to be absent for the evening, 
the careless ones — all know that their pastor 
is on the floor in the midst of the battle. Such 
promptness appeals to the business man, it 
fits into the busy housewife's plans, and is ap- 
proved by all. If the leader is there ten or 
fifteen minutes early he will have an opportu- 
nity not only to see that the room is arranged, 
that the hymnals and Bibles are in place, but 
also to extend to his company a cheerful greet- 
ing as they come ; and besides, he himself will 
avoid the distracting rush incident to a last- 
minute arrival. 

33. Make the service largely voluntary. 
Some have been brought up in churches and 
families where the privilege of taking part 
publicly has not been dwelt upon or encour- 
aged ; some desire to take part, but speak brok- 
enly and are afraid of criticism; others are 
timid; and some, in truth, are willing to be 
present, but do not desire to speak at all. To 

41 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

call upon such will bring a response on the 
part of some, of course, but others will make 
it an excuse, though they may not publicly ad- 
mit it, for remaining away. In fact, if it be 
generally known that it is the custom to call 
upon anyone and everyone indiscriminately, 
many will never risk themselves in the meet- 
ing. It does not adequately cover the situa- 
tion to bluntly say that everybody ought to 
get salvation enough to enable him to gladly 
take part. That may be true; but we must 
admit, however, that a very high degree of 
piety is not incompatible with a large meas* 
ure of silence. It is very much better to have 
a large company, many of whom are not ac- 
customed to take part audibly, than to have a 
small company, all of whom are willing to be 
heard in the meeting. Those whose training 
and disposition have not led them to take 
audible part cannot but be helped by the 
prayers and testimonies of the others ; and, as 
the weeks come and go, the joy and privilege 
of using their own voices in a definite way in 
the meeting will become more and more ap- 
parent to them, and many of them will, sooner 
or later, break their silence by giving their 
voices as well as their hearts to prayer and 

42 



THE PRAYER MEETING LEADER 

praise. ( See "To get new voices to pray," par- 
agraphs 90-94, in chapter on "Prayer in the 
Prayer Meeting.") Let this be the working 
rule in this matter: Call only upon those 
whom you know it will not embarrass, and on 
them only occasionally. 

34. The complaining note is depressing. It 
is stifling. Love and faith will not grow in 
its atmosphere; good cheer vanishes when it 
comes in. The wise leader will avoid it. 
Many are absent; there are apparent reasons 
for complaining, but apparent reasons should 
not evoke certain chastisement, especially 
when such chastisement falls upon the inno- 
cent and does not help the absentees who may 
deserve it or who may not. Very likely some 
are culpably neglectful of duty and privilege ; 
better see them privately. Others are neces- 
sarily detained. Sickness of themselves, of 
family, or neighbors, urgent business or social 
demands, or absence from the community — 
reasons the leader does not know, and, if he 
knew, would accept, and not only that, but 
would act upon himself the same as they, if 
placed in their stead — serve to keep them 
away. Under such circumstances it is better 
to keep still. The meeting sometimes fails to 

43 



VAKIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

move as it should. Hold steady. It is un- 
likely that everyone will do as he should, even 
in a prayer meeting. Some fall short of and 
others go beyond our expectations. Occa- 
sionally nearly everything will seem to go 
wrong ; but whatever happens, the leader must 
keep his poise. Others may fail, that is their 
affair; but if the leader complains, he fails 
also, and that is his affair. It should not be. 
The prayer meeting may not grow from week 
to week as it might ; but it will not help much 
to complainingly remind the people of the fact. 
It is much better to seek the causes of stagna- 
tion, and these, when found, may not call for 
a public complaint, but may rather provide 
an occasion for humiliation and heart-search- 
ing, and require for their remedy the wise, 
patient, and loving attention and care of the 
leader. 

35. It is wise to commend, approve, and 
praise. When a half dozen come through the 
pouring rain, forget the absentees and tell 
those who have come how much cheer they 
have brought into your heart; when they re- 
spond readily and the meeting moves easily, 
remind them of the beauty of such a service; 
when the meeting grows from week to week, 

44 



THE PRAYER MEETING LEADER 

brag about it; in short, keep your eyes open 
for something to be glad over, and, when it ap- 
pears, not only be glad, but say so. The people 
will like it; it will engender enthusiasm; and 
the company will feel like coming again. 

36. The wise leader will not take too se- 
riously the bad blunders that some people, in- 
advertently or otherwise, make. He knows 
that prayer meeting people are just like other 
folks and is not surprised, therefore, if some 
time, somewhere, somebody "breaks out." If 
the offender is known to the company, they 
very likely expect something of that sort in the 
course of time. If he is a stranger possibly 
there are extenuating circumstances, which, if 
known, would call for pity rather than cen- 
sure. "Smile and keep sweet." If insinua- 
tions are offered, make no defense. Here is no 
place for argument. Sing a stanza. If the 
blunderer mixes some good thought with his 
remarks, a thing he is very likely to do, with a 
word of comment magnify that good thought, 
disregarding the blunder. The people will be 
with you. The wound devotion has suffered 
will readily heal. 

37. Anyone who undertakes to lead a prayer 
meeting for any considerable length of time 

45 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

will sooner or later meet what is known as a 
"break." For no apparent reason, the response 
in prayer and testimony will be slow or cease 
altogether, the meeting drags, the continuity 
of the service is interrupted, and the tide, in- 
stead of going on to flood, begins to ebb. At 
such a juncture it devolves upon the leader to 
"fill in." The thing to do is something else. 
If testimonies drag, to your knees; if prayers 
fail, swing into testimony; call for Scripture 
promises; have lively and inspiring choruses 
at your command ; read some clipping you may 
have saved for just such an occasion ; propose 
some live question which will wake up the 
lagging powers; drive home the answer with 
a stroke of comment, and ask another ques- 
tion. Never consent to retreat; always ad- 
vance, even though it must be by another way. 
If "breaks" come into your prayer meeting, 
fellow leader, it is your happy privilege to 
make short work of them. 

38. If the prayer meeting is to be character- 
ized by variety, it must be because the leader 
wills it. If he consents that the same brother 
shall pray first every week and that the same 
sister shall testify second, that the same songs 
be sung from time to time, and that the whole 

46 



THE PKAYER MEETING LEADER 

program be so stereotyped that the absentees 
know precisely what is happening up at the 
church at any given minute during the prayer 
meeting hour, it will be so. Initiative looking 
to variety must be exercised by some one, and 
even though there should be persons among 
the prayer meeting attendants who have the 
vision of it, yet their opportunity for impress- 
ing it upon the meeting, because the part that 
each attendant contributes to the meeting is so 
meager, is small indeed. The leader is the one 
person who can adequately exercise such ini- 
tiative; and happy is he when he discovers, 
that fact and sets himself to the performance 
of it. 

39. In seeking variety it is best not to intro- 
duce too many new things in one meeting. 
One new thing in any one service is enough. 
In fact, many services will not have nor do 
they need any distinctively new thing ; but the 
sense of newness, freshness, and variety will 
be gained (1) by varying the arrangement of 
the parts of the service, (2) by a change in 
emphasis from one part to another, or the ab- 
sence of it, (3) by employing in the meeting, 
as far as possible, persons who may not have 
taken active part for some time, (4) by omit- 

47 



VAKIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

ting some feature for a time and then taking 
it up again, (5) by special prayer meetings, 
and, ( 6 ) above all, by the spirit the leader and 
the company put into the service. 

40. When introducing something new, do 
not remind the company of that fact. Build 
your services as God builds his days. The 
shifting of winds and slant of sun, the com- 
mingling of heat and cold, the ever-changing 
clouds, the coming of seasons that bring in 
turn the gray, the green, the red, the gold — 
these and some other things besides, some we 
call new, some that are old made over, God 
puts into his days, so that the last day is 
wholly unlike any other ; and men enjoy them 
all and want to live in them forever. God 
does not build his day to put variety into it ; 
he puts variety into it to build it — and he does 
it without a herald. It would spoil it if God 
should say, "Now we will do something differ- 
ent." His days speak for themselves. Build 
your prayer meeting so, and men will like it 
as they do the day. They will not come to see 
the new thing, but to enjoy the light and life, 
the blessing and beauty of it all; and if, per- 
chance, they say, where you may hear, or per- 
haps where you may not, that they never know 



THE PEAYER MEETING LEADER 

what is going to happen in your prayer meet- 
ing or what is coming next, they will have paid 
you a compliment of the very highest order. 

41. It is possible for the leader to talk the 
prayer meeting to death. In fact, that has 
been done all too many times already. The 
truth is that the large per cent of us preach- 
ers are of such ordinary caliber that when the 
people hear us preach twice upon Sunday they 
are content and do not care to hear us upon 
the prayer meeting occasion; and we our- 
selves should not give any place to vanity, for 
if we cannot pack our churches upon Sunday, 
how can we expect to do so in the middle of 
the week? The prayer meeting is the people's 
service ; it provides their great opportunity for 
definite expression in the public worship of 
God. The leader should recognize this fact, 
and more, he should emphasize it; and when 
he exhorts the people to give each other a 
chance by being brief, he himself ought to heed 
his own exhortation ; and this not only in ref- 
erence to his "talk," but in reference to his 
own prayer as well. 

42. Not only should the leader observe 
brevity in the personal contribution he makes 
to the meeting, he should also avoid the bad 

49 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

habit of commenting npon every testimony and 
verse of song. If comment be opportune, he 
should give it, but in the part of the meeting 
when others are invited to speak he should be 
sure to cultivate, for a part of the time at 
least, the fine art of being a good listener. 

43. The leader should not only provide the 
opportunity for the members of his prayer- 
meeting company to take part, he should also 
give them something definite to do. If he de- 
sires, he may find many tasks to assign. For 
instance, have them read the Scriptures in 
unison or responsively, or, select some one or 
more to do it; assign questions or topics re- 
lating to the theme for short discussion; re- 
quest the company to bring passages of Scrip- 
ture relating to an announced topic, and to 
bring clippings from their current reading 
relating to the same; constitute committees 
for definite tasks; enlist others in selecting 
hymns ; have one give the meaning of a hymn, 
another a short account of the life of its au- 
thor, another the story of its writing, and 
another some incident connected with its use ; 
invite those who have the gift of song to ren- 
der special music ; when slips or tracts are to 
be distributed have others do it; by these and 

50 



THE PRAYER MEETING LEADER 

other methods he will help the people to a 
larger part in the service. 

44. Do not at any time say, "The meeting 
is yours," and sit down. To do this is to 
surrender the meeting, and you are not called 
upon, nor is it wise, to do that. The company 
does not expect or desire it. Give them the 
privilege of prayer, of testimony, or of taking 
part in any way, but you lead. They will 
carry the battle better if you do ; and besides, 
new developments may demand a change in 
the plan which it is your place as leader to 
direct. 

45. It is possible for the prayer meeting 
to degenerate into a service of another order. 
For instance, the missionary prayer meeting 
may become a mission study class, or an edu- 
cational prayer meeting may become a forum 
for the discussion of educational topics. 
Special subjects should be presented in the 
prayer meeting not for the purpose of dis- 
seminating information merely, though that 
is of great importance, but for disseminating 
information with a view to prayer ; and it 
is the duty of the leader to see that this pur- 
pose is realized. The crown of the prayer 
meeting is prayer, and it should never be 

51 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

crowded out. All things that come into the 
service should miDister to the spirit of devo- 
tion. 

46. Of all the services of the church there 
is none that partakes of the family character 
as much as this; hence the wise leader will 
emphasize the "at home" characteristics of the 
meeting. If the room is large and the com- 
pany small, have the people sit close together ; 
if there is a pulpit, don't climb into it; be 
conversational in style; talk to people by 
name; pray for the sick and bereft by name; 
talk church family affairs; do not smother 
emotion, tears of penitence or of gladness, holy 
laughter, and shouts of joy have their place 
in the Christian's life — we were made to feel 
as well as to think; be glad when some one 
out of the exuberance of his heart or out of 
the need of his life speaks or prays more than 
once ; have a warm heart for the stranger ; and 
diffuse through the service that benign spirit 
of homelikeness which has no place for stiff- 
ness or formality, but makes possible richest 
friendships and most glorious fellowship. 

47. The prayer meeting company gathers to 
commune with God. Give him right of way. 
Seek only his will. Exalt Jesus his Son. Exalt 

52 



THE PRAYER MEETING LEADER 

the Holy Ghost, the Comforter whom he has 
sent. Exalt the Word of God, which is his 
revelation. Without God your prayer meeting 
may have form ; but only with him can it have 
life and power. And you can have him. You 
may lack numbers. You may lack conve- 
niences. Your church may be at a low tide spir- 
itually. But, "Where two or three are gathered 
together in my name, there am I in the midst 
of them." Y"ou have the two or three? Very 
well. He is with you. Love him. Magnify 
him. Exalt him. You will find rest for your 
tired bodies, peace for your troubled minds, 
and comfort for your sorrowing souls; with 
him you will forget things and circumstances 
that otherwise would disquiet and annoy ; you 
will lose the depressing note; with him you 
will have cheer and joy, you will have triumph 
and glory. 

48. When the prayer meeting, by reason of 
unsaved persons in it, provides opportunity 
to invite souls to Jesus, the leader should make 
use of it. The unsaved who come to such a 
meeting are, no doubt, in sympathy with it. 
They have respect for religion, and possibly 
would like to know the Saviour. If they con- 
tinue to come they will most surely, sooner 

53 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

or later, form an acquaintance with him. 
Happy is that leader and company who do not 
wait for the annual revival to win such for 
the Master. Provide opportunity for requests 
for prayer, and when they are made, follow 
them up. Be bold for the Lord. Invite such 
as respond, and any others who will, to come 
forward and definitely surrender to God at 
once. Let the company understand that in 
this as in all other services of the church they 
are at liberty to go through the congregation 
and personally invite their unsaved friends to 
come to the Lord. Embarrass no one, saint 
or sinner. When the seeker comes forward 
let the company gather about him and by their 
sympathy and prayers help his faith. He is 
a prodigal on the way home. Lead him to 
break with sin definitely and unrevokably, to 
surrender to Jesus completely, and to trust 
him for salvation fully. Coming so he will 
find the heavenly Father's pardon, he will find 
himself "a new creature"; glory will fill his 
soul and shine in his face. Then rejoice to- 
gether, and give praise to God, for it can be 
said of him as it was concerning one of old, 
he "was dead, and is alive again ; he was lost, 
and is found." 

54 



THE PEAYER MEETING LEADER 

49. Hold one hour. Many will be willing 
to spend an hour who would be unwilling, and 
perhaps would find it impossible, to spend two. 

50. Close on time. God does. Sunsets 
never drag. Some may quietly object, but no 
matter. The days are too short for some dear 
people. Others will feel that it is almost 
wicked to close when there are so many to 
take part and the meeting has so fine a swing. 
The leader should close on time nevertheless. 
The reason is obvious. Under this plan the 
business man knows he can make after prayer 
meeting engagements and be sure he can ful- 
fill them without the embarrassment of leaving 
while the service is in progress; school teach- 
ers and school children know they will have 
an after prayer meeting opportunity to com- 
plete their preparation for the next day's 
work ; and the mother with children she cannot 
bring, knowing definitely when she can return, 
can make arrangement for their care during 
the hour. It is no use to exclaim that it is 
the duty of business men, school teachers and 
pupils, mothers and everyone else to go to 
prayer meeting regardless of business, school, 
home, or other affairs. Perhaps it is ; perhaps 
it is not. That depends. The plain fact is 

55 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

that a service with an uncertain end, which 
stands more chance of being long-drawn-out 
than otherwise, cannot be a big service, that 
is, in numbers, permanently. The crowd may 
be caught for one meeting, but not fifty-two 
times a year. It is better far to have a rule, 
work to it, and have a large company, than 
to work haphazard and have the few who find 
it satisfactory to follow such a plan. More- 
over, the prayer meeting that closes with per- 
sons ready and eager to take part is one whose 
reserve force and unused power exhilarate and 
promise good. 

51. There should be but one exception to 
the above rule, and that is when the time for 
closing arrives and finds a seeker for salvation 
who is minded to continue. Then simply an- 
nounce that if any must go they may do so 
without offense. With this word those who 
go will do so freely, while those who stay will 
do so by choice. Stay by the battle joyfully, 
thanking God for a seeker, and for one who 
is minded to seek till he finds. Let the meeting 
lengthen — into hours if need be — God once 
lengthened a day that a battle might be won. 
When victory comes your joy and God's will 
be of kin. 

66 



CHAPTEK III 
THE PRAYER MEETING ROOM 



52. 


Accessibility. 


53. 


Cleanliness. 


54. 


Tidiness. 


55. 


Rearrangement of furniture. 


56. 


Illumination. 


57. 


Temperature. 


58. 


Ventilation. 


59. 


Flowers. 


60. 


Effect. 



CHAPTER III 

The Prayer Meeting Room 

"The place whereon thou standest is holy." 
— Joshua 5. 15. 

52. The place where the prayer meeting is 
held is of large import ; albeit some congrega- 
tions, judging by the place they assign it, do 
not seem to think so. There is some truth, 
but not all, in the statement that "If the heart 
is right one will go to prayer meeting any- 
where." The Christians of Diocletian's time 
went joyfully to the catacombs for prayer, 
and vast multitudes to-day, if placed under 
like conditions, would do the same; but why 
should we seek the obscure place in this age? 
We are not the subjects of persecution. Neces- 
sity does not compel us to hide our prayer 
meeting. To tuck this service in an out-of-the- 
way place is to act out of harmony with the 
day in which we live. The prayer meeting 
room should be easily accessible. 

53. The room should be clean. And why 
not? Ours is a clean gospel. It makes clean 

59 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

folks. And a clean gospel and clean folks 
are worthy of a clean place. A dirty room 
means discord; it is out of harmony with the 
spirit of the prayer meeting; and, if counte- 
nanced, will help kill the meeting. The floor 
should be swept; the seats should be dusted; 
and cobwebs should have no place on the wall. 
Cleanliness is one of those fine blessings, 
which, if men will but pay the price may be 
had anywhere. 

54. The clean room may have its furnish- 
ings in a jumble. This should not be. It 
should be tidy. We are often told that "Order 
is heaven's first law"; be that as it may, it 
should be one of the laws of the place of 
prayer. The chairs, tables, and other furni- 
ture should be in place; the blackboard, if 
movable, and the pictures upon the wall 
should hang straight, and the books should 
be in the racks. Anything that interferes 
with the sense of tidiness should be removed. 

55. It is not essential to tidiness that the 
furniture of the room always be in the same 
place. Indeed, tidiness can be maintained 
while a sense of newness and freshness may 
be obtained by occasionally rearranging the 
furniture if this be possible. Move the desk 

60 



THE PRAYER MEETING ROOM 

to the other end or to one of the sides of the 
room. Shift the chairs accordingly. Move the 
organ. Rearrange the chairs so that sections 
and aisles will be different. Those who enter 
the room will be pleased in the same way one 
is pleased who enters the home of a house- 
keeper who knows and practices this fine art. 
The rearrangement of the furniture alone will 
give variety to the meeting for a time. 

56. The prayer meeting room should be well 
lighted. One may hardly expect a bright 
cheerful prayer meeting to thrive in a half- 
lighted room. Darkness depresses both men 
and meetings ; light uplifts both. The tint of 
the wall has much to do with the lighting 
effect. The passages leading to the place of 
meeting, whether entry, hall, or connecting 
rooms, should also be well lighted. Prayer 
meeting attendants should not be compelled 
to grope through a tunnel of dark to find the 
place of prayer. 

57. See to it that the room is warm in cold 
weather. Building the fire thirty minutes be- 
fore the service usually means a failure for 
that evening. The early fire means a larger 
fuel bill, but it is worth all it costs. In warm 
weather have a fan for everybody. 

61 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

58. Look to the ventilation. Prayer meet- 
ings may be smothered by foul air; besides, 
there is fresh air a-plenty in God's out-of- 
doors, and you sin against him and the meet- 
ing if you do not use it. 

59. A bouquet of flowers upon the stand 
always blesses. 

60. When the prayer meeting attendant 
steps from the outside into a clean, tidy, well- 
lighted, comfortable, and, consequently, a 
homelike place, that sense of quiet restfulness 
so necessary to intimate communion with God 
steals over his soul, and the meeting for that 
evening is already on the way to victory. 



CHAPTER IV 
ADVERTISING THE PRAYER MEETING 



Paragraph 

61. It is wise to advertise. 

62. Character of prayer meeting advertising. 
63-74. Methods. 

63. The pulpit. 

64. Church bulletin. 
65-67. Blackboard. 

65, 66. Inside. 
67. Outside. 
68. Local papers. 
69, 70. Letters by leader. 

69. Circular. 

70. Special. 

71, 72. Invitation by company. 

71. Personal. 

72. Phone and letter. 

73. Tracts. 

74. Illuminated sign. 

75. The meeting itself an advertisement 



CHAPTER IV 

Advertising The Prayer Meeting 

"Go home to thy friends, and tell them." — 
Mark 5. 19. 

61. If it is a good thing to advertise soaps 
and silks, meats and medicines, hats and 
houses, why is it not a good thing to advertise 
the prayer meeting? There is but one answer 
to this question, for the aphorism, "Adver- 
tising pays," is true not only in the material 
but also in the spiritual realm. Those who 
are fearful that if the church takes up with 
the ways of the world she will lower her 
spiritual life and lose her power should re- 
member that every right thing is subject to 
legitimate use by God's people. Advertising 
is right. True, the devil has taken hold of it 
and has used it with great profit to himself. 
His astuteness commands praise ; his zeal com- 
mendation. Nor should his remarkable suc- 
cess in the matter make God's people loath 
to attempt it; it should rather incite them 
not only to attempt but to such persistent 

65 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

endeavor as ends only in accomplishment. 
Advertising pays. Good people as well as bad 
should make use of it. 

62. Prayer-meeting advertising cannot, nor 
is it desired that it should, take on the spec- 
tacular flaming-poster, ring-the-bell brass-band 
features ofttimes made use of elsewhere; but 
there is a field for sane, forceful, and persist- 
ent advertising, legitimate for this service, as 
the following paragraphs show, which, if culti- 
vated, will enlist not only the people's interest 
in but their attendance upon this means of 
grace in increasing numbers. 

G3. First of all, the pulpit should exalt this 
service. The pastor should not consume time 
which should be given to other parts of the 
Sunday service in an extended exhortation 
relative to the prayer meeting; there is no 
need for that, and besides, the people would 
tire of it. What he says and how are of more 
importance than the length. Let him in a 
few sentences lay the matter upon the people's 
hearts not merely once in six months or a year, 
but frequently. Let him mention some special 
feature of the last meeting; some special fea- 
ture promised for the next; call attention 
to the increasing interest and growth; invite 



ADVERTISING THE PRAYER MEETING 

the fathers and mothers to bring their chil- 
dren; in short, let him enthusiastically urge 
the privilege the midweek service affords the 
whole church. It is wise for him, occasionally, 
to provide an opportunity for the people to 
definitely commit themselves to prayer-meet- 
ing attendance. To this end he will find it 
advantageous to distribute slips through the 
Sunday congregation about a month before 
the revival with the request that all, whether 
they have been accustomed to attend the 
prayer meeting or not, who will agree to do 
so between that time and the revival, unless 
they have some reason they believe God would 
accept, sign their names and drop the slip in 
the basket when the regular offering is taken. 
Two things unite to make signing easy: (1) 
The time covered by the pledge is compara- 
tively short. Many will sign for a month who 
would not do so for a year. (2) The weeks 
before the revival are preparation weeks. The 
people then are asking, "What can I do?" as 
they too seldom do at other times. The pass- 
ing of slips for their signature provides, at 
least in part, an answer to their inquiry which 
many unaccustomed to attend the prayer 
meeting will be glad to improve. 

67 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

64. If a church bulletin is published, a para- 
graph each week concerning the privilege, the 
worth, and the progress of the meeting to- 
gether with promised special features will be 
helpful. 

65. Place a blackboard in a conspicuous 
place where all who attend the Sunday service 
can see it and place a telling paragraph rela- 
tive to the prayer meeting upon it. In all 
such paragraphs, as elsewhere, avoid a com- 
plaining or discouraging note. Jeremiads do 
not attract. There is enough of victory in 
every prayer meeting to make a paragraph. 
Use it, and by it climb to greater victory. 
Occasionally, emphasize the paragraph by 
calling attention to it ; but usually let it speak 
for itself. 

66. The following paragraphs, which were 
copied from the record of the pastor who used 
them to help build up his prayer meeting, 
illustrate this kind of advertising : 

Fifty-three were at prayer meeting last night. Can 
you not come next Thursday evening? Eight to nine. 

Twenty-eight persons and a glorious rain. How's 
that for our last week's prayer meeting? Good! 

Special music at our prayer meeting next Thursday 
68 



ADVERTISING THE PRAYER MEETING 

evening. Come early and bring a friend. Eight to 
nine. 

A little over a year later in this same prayer 
meeting the following were used in three con- 
secutive weeks : 

If one hundred and fourteen come to prayer meeting 
next Thursday evening our average for the month of 
September will be one hundred, and this will be a record 
average for this church. Of course you want it to be. 

Last Thursday evening was rainy and disagreeable, 
but sixty-five persons came to prayer meeting. Let 
everybody praise the Lord. 

Somebody brought a bouquet of flowers to prayer 
meeting last Thursday evening. One hundred and 
thirty-six persons were there to share their beauty. It 
was a happy hour. Thursday, 7:30 p. m. 

67. A blackboard outside the church with a 
written invitation upon it during the day pre- 
ceding the prayer meeting hour will remind 
many who pass by of this service. 

68. If the pastor makes use of the privilege 
of publishing his sermon subjects and other 
notes in the daily or weekly paper, the inser- 
tion of paragraphs such as the above will 
place the whole community in touch with his 
midweek service. 

69. A circular letter from the leader sent by 

69 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

mail cannot fail to be productive of good. By 
this plan persons who may not have received a 
personal invitation by word of mouth are not 
passed by — the last man and woman is 
reached. They know they are remembered; 
and, if they have begun to have that "outsider" 
feeling, it is quickly dispelled. The church is 
theirs. They are recognized. Furthermore, 
they are counted. More than that, they are 
wanted. The fact that printing and postage 
cost something may deter some from using this 
form of advertising ; but that very element en- 
hances its value in the eyes of the recipient. 
Invitations that cost, like everything else, 
mean more because of that very fact. No 
rules can be given for the writing of the circu- 
lar letter, each occasion making demands of its 
own, both as to form and content ; but it may 
safely be said that the leader who writes in 
love will observe every necessary propriety, 
and, while he quickens interest in his midweek 
service, will also minister comfort and blessing 
to his people. 

70. A special letter to the officers of the 
church will lay their duty and privilege as re- 
gards the prayer meeting more definitely upon 
their hearts by accentuating the fact that they 

70 



ADVERTISING THE PRAYER MEETING 

as well as the pastor are set for leadership in 
the spiritual as well as in the temporal things 
of the church. 

71. The fine art of personal invitation should 
be cultivated. In his work of visitation the 
pastor should lay the prayer meeting upon the 
hearts of his people. To talk to them in the 
crowd may be to miss some of them; to talk 
to them personally in their homes and stores, 
in their shops, out in their fields, and upon the 
street is to make each feel, "He means me." 
The leader, however, should not monopolize 
the work of personal invitation. That is a 
privilege large enough for all; and the com- 
pany should be encouraged to share it. Re- 
mind them that the service is not only for 
those who come, but also for the multitudes 
outside who are kept away by indifference, 
and, perhaps, by lack of appreciation of the 
worth of the service ; urge them to go to such, 
and, as they have opportunity, talk with them 
about the meeting. Occasionally, and prefer- 
ably when some special feature is to be pre- 
sented, definitely pledge them to invite at least 
one other person to come to the next meeting. 
Provide the workers with an easy starting- 
point for their invitations by reporting at each 

71 



VAKIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

service the number present. When new records 
are made, say so. There is something compel- 
ling about growing things, and the prayer 
meeting is no exception. It is surprising how 
soon the people outside hear of the new records 
you make. Urge the company not to be content 
with merely reporting attendance, but to carry 
some of the service to their friends ; for, if they 
will not come to the meeting, it is only proper 
that the meeting should be carried to them. 
Thus the nonattendant will hear of the service, 
its testimonies, something of its message, or its 
special feature, and will catch some of its 
spirit; while there will be opened up to the 
bearer of the invitation opportunity for con- 
versation upon the deeper things of the soul, 
which are so full of interest to prayer meeting 
lovers. These invitations should not be con- 
fined to the saved alone; they should be car- 
ried to the unsaved as well. Indeed, the un- 
saved should not only be invited, but members 
of the prayer meeting company should, as the 
way opens, bring them to the meeting with the 
hope that they shall there decide for Jesus. 
Encourage your people to let you know of the 
intended coming of a possible seeker. You 
will be enabled to shape the meeting for his 

72 



ADVERTISING THE PRAYER MEETING 

helping all the more wisely. Invitations thus 
extended bring threefold blessing: (1) They 
extend the influence of the prayer service by 
carrying it to those outside. (2) They who 
carry the invitation are helped. And (3) the 
prayer meeting itself is built up. "Behold how 
great a matter a little fire kindleth" is true 
when the "little fire" is in the prayer meeting 
personal worker's heart. 

72. Urge your people, if at any time they 
cannot give themselves to this beautiful min- 
istry in person, to avail themselves of the op- 
portunity provided by the telephone and the 
personal letter. 

73. Tracts, wisely distributed, will interest 
many in this service. (For list of tracts, see 
Appendix C.) 

74. At the hour of service illuminated 
signs, of the sort often used by fraternities to 
call attention to their evening meetings, placed 
at the entrances of those churches whose loca- 
tion provides opportunity for their advan- 
tageous use, would call many a heart to share 
the fellowship of the prayer meeting hour. 

75. If the leader and his company keep the 
meeting before the people in an attractive way, 
as they may, the people will come; it is then 

73 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

their duty, yes, their privilege, to make the 
meeting such that they will want to come 
again. Outside advertising will bring a person 
once ; but, after that, for that person, the meet- 
ing itself is the best advertisement. 



74 



CHAPTER V 
THE OPENING EXERCISE 



Paragraph 


76. 


The opening affects the service. 


77, 78. 


Usual method. 




77. Usual method, why so. 




78. An abuse of it. 


79. 


Testimony. 


80. 


Prayer. 


81. 


The Holy Scriptures. 


82. 


Questions. 


83. 


Praise in unison. 


84. 


Expression of appreciation. 



CHAPTER V 

The Opening Exercise 

"In the beginning Gfod." — Genesis 1. 1. 

76. The character of the opening exercises, 
both as to matter and method, determines in 
some measure the character and power of the 
service; for the simple reason that first im- 
pressions of meetings, as of men, affect us 
favorably or unfavorably. If the opening is 
slow, cold, without change and life, it is need- 
less to say that those who share it will be de- 
pressed, and since the feeling of depression is 
fatal to the spirit of devotion, it must be over- 
come before the meeting can come to a victory 
sweep; on the other hand, if the opening is 
characterized by promptness and warmth, 
variety and life, its effect is electrical, it 
places everyone on the alert, and the service 
at once promises triumph. 

77. Practically all the services of the Chris- 
tian Church begin with singing. The prayer 
meeting is no exception. It seems to be the 
easiest thing in the world to say, "Let us begin 

77 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

the services this evening by singing number 
— ." The form is stereotyped. Before the 
people start from home they know just how 
the meeting will begin. They do not complain 
about it. It is a good way; and because sing- 
ing, by its power to enlist attention, please, 
and inspire, is admirably suited for the open- 
ing moments of a meeting, it is more than 
probable that it will continue to hold its pre- 
eminence in this particular. We believe it 
should do so. 

78. To sing three or four hymns "while the 
people are gathering" and then to say, "Let us 
open the meeting by singing number — " is to 
blunder without excuse ; for the simple reason 
that to do so is to compliment the tardy ones, a 
thing that should not be done for two reasons : 
Those who are late of necessity do not ask it, 
and those late through carelessness do not 
merit it. When you begin with singing let the 
first hymn you sing bear the honor of being the 
"opening hymn." 

79. The psalmist who said, "Sing unto him," 
also said in the same breath, "Talk ye of all his 
wondrous works." Leave off singing once in a 
while, then, and begin with testimony. The 
reports of tasks attempted and accomplished, 

78 



THE OPENING EXERCISE 

of discouragements encountered and van- 
quished, of battles waged and won, of sins con- 
fessed and forgiven, with the notes of trust 
and hope, of love and of praise throbbing 
through all, will open the meeting with bless- 
ing for every heart. 

80. When the moment for the service to be- 
gin arrives let the leader without preliminary 
remarks of any kind say, "Let us pray," and 
lead the company at once to the Throne of 
Grace. Or let him call upon some member to 
pray. He may have a season of silent prayer ; 
or have several sentence prayers; again, he 
may have the company stand while he himself 
or some one else whom he may name offers an 
invocation for the blessing of God upon the 
service. 

81. Use a responsive Scripture lesson. The 
Psalms lend themselves admirably to this 
service. If for any reason the Bibles are not 
in the racks do not use this exercise. The 
meeting must not start out with a sense of un- 
preparedness ; the initial moments must not 
be vitiated by hunting and distributing even 
the Book of books. Or, better still, have the 
company memorize appropriate passages of 
Scripture, such as the "Shepherd" psalm, the 

79 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

twenty-third, or the "I was glad" psalm, the 
one hundrel and twenty-second, and, as de- 
sired, repeat one of them for the opening exer- 
cise. Or if the leader desires he may read a 
verse or two of Scripture, pertinent to the oc- 
casion, and enforce the same with a few telling 
sentences. 

82. Open with one or more questions, such 
as "Did you have a temptation to stay 
away to-night?" "How did you overcome 
it?" "Who helped you to come to prayer 
meeting to-night?" "Why are you here to- 
night?" "How can we help make this a good 
meeting?" "Will it spoil this meeting if a half 
dozen should arise at the same time to speak 
in the testimony service?" "If more than one 
arises to speak at the same time what should 
those who do not speak first do?" "Should 
Christians look over the room while some one 
is praying?" or any other. Let the answers be 
informal, and, if a member interjects a ques- 
tion, rejoice, for in the warmth of free and 
open discussion coldness and formality soon 
melt away, while, at the same time, there 
come higher conceptions of privilege and 
duty. 

83. An informal opening of great interest 

80 



THE OPENING EXERCISE 

and value may be gathered from the drift of 
events in the community. Every community 
sooner or later has its periods of stress — long 
oppressive periods of heat or cold, times of 
drought or flood, crop failures, epidemics of 
disease, etc., — these tell upon the prayer meet- 
ing by diverting the attention and lowering the 
attendance. But cold gives way to heat; heat 
to cold. The drought is broken. The flood 
subsides. Harvests ripen and epidemics abate. 
Here is the leader's opportunity. When he 
stands before those who have come with him 
to join in the service of prayer let him, if it 
should be after a long period of oppressive 
heat, say, "Everybody who is glad for this fine 
cool day, say 'Praise the Lord.' " Of course 
everybody responds; and he will see in the 
beaming faces of the company an illustration 
of the fact that it is good for people to say with 
their lips what they feel in their hearts. The 
leader will, of course, vary the reasons for 
praise according to the occasion: everybody 
who is glad for warmer days, for the rain, for 
the sunshine, for the harvest, for good health, 
for a quiet hour, etc., praise the Lord. 

84. Give the opening moments of the meeting 
to the expression of appreciation for some 
81 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

service rendered the company. For instance, 
if somebody brings a bouquet of flowers, call 
attention to the blossoms and remind the com- 
pany that if any of them have come to the 
meeting possessed with the blues they may 
look at God's flowers and be glad. And they 
will. Meanwhile the saint who brought them 
will be receiving that particular blessing 
which belongs to those who give cups of cold 
water and render other like service in Jesus's 
name, and other bouquets will likely follow to 
bless your midweek service of prayer. When 
any object to adorn the room or make for its 
comfort is provided it affords an opportunity 
for this delightful opening. 



82 



CHAPTER VI 
PRAYER IN THE PRAYER MEETING 



Paragraph 

85. A service for prayer. 
86, 87. The attitude in prayer. 

88. Voluntary. 

89. Danger of voluntary method, and how to 

meet: (1) by sections, (2) by request for 
silence, (3) by sexes, (4) by ages, (5) by 
school company, (6) by members of young 
people's society, (7) by Sunday school 
teachers, and (8) by new converts. 
90-94. To get new voices to pray. 

90. A privilege. 

91. Encouragement. 

92. Written prayers. 

93. Pledge. 

94. Home practice. 

95. Length of prayers. 

96. Exception to rule. 

97. Methods to secure brevity: (1) by the clock, 

(2) by appeal to courtesy, (3) by persua- 
sion, (4) by appeal to example, (5) by 
appeal to honesty, (6) by provision, and 
(7) by command. 

98. A suggestion. 

99. Prayer for special things. 
100, 101. Concert prayer. 

100. Memory. 

101. Prayer psalm. 

102. Silent prayer. 

103. Requests for prayer. 

104. Altar service. 
105, 106. Sentence prayers. 

107. Acknowledgment of answers to prayers. 
108-110. The study of prayer. 

108. The subject in general. 

109. Bible prayers. 

110. Prayers of others. 



CHAPTER VI 

Prater in the Prayer Meeting 

"Lord, teach us to pray." — Luke 11. 1. 

85. The prayer meeting is called for the pur- 
pose of cultivating the fine art of praying. To 
open the meeting with prayer and then to run 
it exclusively in other channels is not to have 
a prayer meeting at all. To call it so is a 
misnomer. Let us repeat, the prayer meeting 
is called for prayer. Its name, prayer meeting, 
indicates as much. Other things may be lack- 
ing, but this should not be; other things may 
and should enter in, but only as handmaids to 
this, the chief thing. Moreover this service is 
called for mutual, for united prayer. Its 
name, prayer meeting, indicates this also. 
The people understand it so. When they come 
they expect to have a chance to pray. To deny 
them this privilege is to rob them of their 
right. The leader may pray long prayers in 
his pulpit on Sunday, but when he gathers 
with his people in the midweek service he 
should become in a very real way one of them. 

85 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

He will, accordingly, in order to give them 
their right, be as brief in prayer as he expects 
them to be. In fact, having had his great Sun- 
day opportunity, he will do well, frequently, 
to let his people do all the audible praying in 
this service. 

86. In the light of the teaching of the Holy 
Scriptures relative to the attitude to be as- 
sumed during prayer it is useless to dogmatize. 
"Hezekiah sick unto death" upon his bed 
"turned his face toward the wall, and prayed" 
(Isa. 38. 1, 2) ; "Then went king David in, and 
sat before the Lord" and prayed (2 Sam. 7. 
18) ; the publican, "standing afar off," offered 
his plea for mercy (Luke 18. 13) ; Paul on his 
way to Jerusalem "kneeled down on the shore, 
and prayed" with those who accompanied him 
out of the city of Tyre (Acts 21. 5) ; and Jesus 
in Gethsemane prostrated himself (Matt 26. 
39). God heard all of these, not because of 
any virtue in the attitude of body taken, but 
because of the attitude of their hearts. 
Standing and kneeling are the attitudes most 
generally observed, the first having larger ob- 
servance in Scripture times, the second coming 
into that distinction in this day, being not 
only the rule in all the services of some de- 



PRAYER IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

nominations, but many congregations whose 
custom it is to stand during prayer in the 
Sunday services make kneeling the rule in 
their midweek service. But whatever the pos- 
ture the company is in the habit of observing, 
it is well that the rule should not be so rigidly 
followed as to render impossible that contri- 
bution to variety the use of other attitudes 
will make. 

87. The whole company should be encour- 
aged to assume the same attitude during 
prayer ; but whatever the rule, sitting, because 
of children they must hold, crowded seats, or 
physical infirmity, is necessary for some. 
These, when the attitude is such that they can- 
not join in it, should be made to feel that, when 
they sit with bowed heads and pray, they are 
in perfect accord with the meeting; indeed, it 
will minister comfort to them to have the 
whole company join them in their attitude at 
times. On the other hand, the leader should 
discourage the irreverent habit of sitting up- 
right, with wide-open eyes, when men and 
women and youth are talking with God. 

88. Prayer in the prayer meeting in the main 
should be voluntary. If the leader makes it 
the habit to call upon those who are to pray 

87 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

there will be a tendency to call upon the same 
ones from week to week, for the reason that he 
will not always be sure whether certain ones, 
especially children and new attendants, will 
respond. The call for volunteers opens the 
way for everybody alike; and the responses 
from young and old, acquaintance and stran- 
ger, will, as they ever have done, by their unex- 
pected but welcome contribution, quicken the 
meeting to new life. 

89. We should not forget that when the 
meeting is mainly voluntary there is danger 
that the same persons occupy the time week 
by week so that the difficulty which this form 
of service is designed to avert is met with still. 
The following methods provide a way whereby 
the meeting may be kept from the grasp of the 
willing volunteer : 

(1) Have your prayer meeting room arranged with 
aisles between sections of pews or chairs. Have a sea- 
son of prayer by volunteers from one designated sec- 
tion, and then from another; or, if preferable, let 
volunteers from a certain number of pews, front, middle, 
or rear, lead the devotion. Regular attendants usu- 
ally sit in the same places, and the leader by using or 
passing sections or pews can so determine who shall 
pray as that no two successive meetings shall fall into 
the hands of the same persons. 

(2) At the beginning of the service ask all who led 

83 



PRAYER IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

in audible prayer the week before to give that priv- 
ilege to others in the present meeting, while they take 
the place of those who at that time followed in silent 
prayer. Some may forget, but enough will remember 
so that your service will have the sense of newness you 
seek. 

(3) To give further variety have a season of prayer 
led by men only. Another by women only. These two 
seasons of prayer will give opportunity for all the ready 
volunteers, of course; but by placing the obligation for 
response upon the smaller group, a thing always desir- 
able because it is more personal, they remove the com- 
mon opportunity which makes possible so much same- 
ness. 

(4) Of the same sort are seasons of prayer by ages. 
Have a season of prayer by children under fifteen years 
of age; another by young people from sixteen to twenty- 
one; and another by all others. 

(5) Have prayer by the school section of your com- 
pany, the teachers, the high school and grade pupils. 

(6) Have one or more seasons of prayer by members 
of your young people's society only. 

(7) Call for prayer by the Sunday school teachers 
only. 

(8) Request that none but new converts, say those 
who have been converted within the past year, pray. 

90. To get new voices to pray is one of the 
great privileges of the prayer meeting leader, 
one that brings rich reward not only to the 
one who prays, but to the company and leader 
as well. 

91. Before a season of voluntary prayer let 

89 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

the leader state that he desires persons who 
may never have led in public prayer to have 
the first opportunity, and that others should 
not respond until the meeting is opened for 
them. Let him encourage the timid ones not to 
try to pray at length, but to offer sentence 
prayers. Remind them that while some folks 
pray too long and hurt the meeting, new voices 
with short prayers always bless. Remind them 
that they are gathered as a family and that in 
their church home they may be free. Remind 
them, too, that if they ever enter into this 
privilege, it must be some time. Why not now? 
If they hesitate, the leader may indite sen- 
tences for them to use, such as "Bless me, 
Lord, and make me a blessing. For Jesus' 
sake. Amen." A prayer like the foregoing, 
repeated by the new voices in unison, will en- 
courage some to individual endeavor later. 

92. If some will not begin with extempore 
prayer urge them to write out a brief prayer 
at home, bring it to the service, and read it. 
Those who thus begin will gain confidence and 
will naturally outgrow the written method. 

93. A pledge taken privately by the leader 
from those he wishes to enlist in public prayer 
will help in the moment of decision. 

90 



PRAYER IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

94. Urge those who have not yet begun to 
pray publicly, whether they desire to begin 
with the oral or written form, to pray audibly 
in their homes. They will thus become accus- 
tomed to their own voices in prayer and will 
thereby be emboldened to take up their priv- 
ilege in this matter in the public service. 

95. While the leader has the rare privilege 
of leading some into the exercise of public 
prayer, he also has the very plain duty of cur- 
tailing it in others. In almost every com- 
munity there are those who pray too long. 
They persistently monopolize the time and 
usually kill the meeting, for the simple reason 
that there are very few who can pray ten and 
fifteen minutes in each service week in and 
week out, and do it to the edification of the 
people. 

96. We are glad to say that occasionally a 
long prayer will not hinder but help the prayer 
meeting, especially so if the prayer be not an 
antiquated one, but the passionate heart-cry 
of some burdened soul. Under the power and 
blessing of such prayers the people forget time, 
and the wise leader does also. 

97. On all other occasions the leader should 
help the dear brother and sister of multitu- 

91 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

dinous words to brevity. The mere suggestion 
to "please be brief" will occasionally help one, 
but all too often it falls upon unhearing ears, 
or, to be more exact, upon unwilling hearts. 
To secure brevity the leader may use one or 
more of the following methods : 

(1) By the clock. Have a clock so placed in the 
prayer meeting room that all can easily see it. We do 
well to pray by that sometimes. When two persons 
consume a period of fifteen minutes by the clock evi- 
dently one or both have prayed too long. A mere state- 
ment of that fact by the leader at the opening of the 
meeting where there is a possibility of prayers of that 
sort will help some to their duty in the matter. 

(2) By appeal to the spirit of courtesy. Emphasize 
the fact that the meeting is a prayer meeting. Now, a 
"meeting" implies others, and others have rights; and, 
out in the world of society and business, rights are 
recognized by every gentleman and lady. Should we in 
the fellowship of the Kingdom be less courteous than 
they? No. As men and women, children of the heav- 
enly King, we should give others a chance. 

(3) By persuasion. Privately and frankly open up 
the case with the offender. He may not have been con- 
scious of offense in the matter. Acquaint him with 
the fact. Lead him to see that a meeting shared by 
others is better than a meeting monopolized week by 
week by a mere few. No doubt but that he wants to 
be a blessing, and when the case is put up to him as 
a personal one he may not only see his privilege in 
this respect but also improve it. 

(4) By appeal to example. Put the argument by 

92 



PEAYER IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

example thus: Jesus prayed long prayers, but never in 
public. The longest of which we know is in the seven- 
teenth chapter of Saint John's Gospel and you can read 
it in three minutes. There were only eleven besides 
Jesus in that meeting. Urge upon the company the 
fact that if we want to be like our great Example we 
will follow a rule something like this: If twelve are at 
prayer meeting, one may pray three minutes; if more 
than twelve, believing that Jesus approves our giving 
others a chance, one's prayer must be shorter than 
three minutes. 

(5) By appeal to honesty. Remind the company that 
the law of honesty applies to the prayer meeting as well 
as elsewhere, and that, consequently, they should no 
more think of taking the minutes that rightly belong 
to others than they would of appropriating their gold. 

(6) By provision. After all is said, these dear souls 
who have the long prayer habit will feel, for a time at 
least, as if their liberties were curtailed. Habit, wher- 
ever you find it, in things sacred as well as profane, 
dislikes to be broken. Many of these saints cannot 
appreciate the fact that it is better to have fifty or one 
hundred in a prayer meeting where brevity is the rule 
than to have eight or a dozen where length is coun- 
tenanced. They cannot see that when the devil lost his 
grip upon them in sordid lines he craftily smuggled it 
into their prayer life. They must, as they think, "pray 
through." Provide for this feeling by encouraging the 
organization of a cottage prayer meeting to meet upon 
some other evening of the week. Have it understood 
that this meeting, unlike the other, is open for anyone 
to pray or testify as long as he may choose. Attend 
this meeting yourself. It won't hurt the prayer meet- 
ing leader to join the smaller company and with them 
go "through." Usually they are very devoted people 

93 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

■who would hasten the coming of the Kingdom, and 
happy is the pastor whose efforts are helped by the peti- 
tions of men and women so devout. And as your reg- 
ular prayer meeting grows they, too, will see in the 
greater numbers and interest the wisdom of brevity in 
the weekly service of prayer. 

(7) By command. Finally, if all else fails, use the 
buzzer or sing the offender down. 

98. To pray into one's hands, into the bot- 
tom of the pews, or with a voice so faint that 
only those who are near can understand is to 
fail to really lead. Encourage those so accus- 
tomed to louder voice and to freedom from the 
hand and pew habit by reminding them of 
their opportunity, and privilege as well, to 
bless not only a part but all the company. 
Practice on their part at home will help them 
more readily to attain liberty in the meeting 
in regard to these matters. 

99. In special prayer meetings the prayers 
will, of course, cling around the theme — mis- 
sionary, patriotic, or any other. It is a good 
plan, however, to have special objects of prayer 
in the regular prayer meeting. If a letter 
from a missionary be read, have a season of 
prayer for him and his work. Pray for the 
coming Sunday services, the coming revival, 
the mourning ones, the sick, some special com- 

94 



PEAYER IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

munity need, and do not forget those who have 
asked for prayers. Two or three seasons of 
special prayer for as many objects can be used 
with profit in many meetings. 

100. Employ concert prayer. Repeat the 
Lord's Prayer, or any other prayer, known to 
all, together. A short prayer indited by the 
leader, snch as, "Lord, give me the Holy 
Ghost, for Jesus' sake," or the Bible prayers, 
"Lord, I believe ; help thou my unbelief," and, 
"Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean," 
can be used in the same manner. This form 
of prayer enlists the voices of the timid and is 
valuable for carrying the volume of prayer 
when volunteers hesitate. 

101. With open Bibles, upon your knees, let 
all together read a prayer psalm. 

102. Have periods of silent prayer, and do 
not make them so short that your people must 
cease praying before they have well begun. As 
a rule the leader should indicate the theme for 
this period of devotion. 

103. Give opportunity for those who desire 
an interest in the prayers of God's people to 
indicate the same by the uplifted hand, by 
standing, or by voice. Also let it be known 
that written requests for prayers for self or 

95 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

others, whether they be handed in before or 
after the service, are welcomed. Announce 
such requests the first service after receiving 
them, withholding the names of those making 
them, unless you know they are willing to have 
them given to the public. 

104. Occasionally have the company come 
forward for a season of prayer. It is well for 
the people of God to leave their seats through 
the year as well as during the revival and 
gather around the altar to which they are 
wont to invite their unsaved friends. The best 
of us are but sinners "saved by grace," and as 
such should always keep up an intimate ac- 
quaintance with the place Avhere ofttimes 

Heaven comes down our souls to greet, 
While glory crowns the mercy seat. 

105. Have seasons when only sentence pray- 
ers are offered. These prayers may be wholly 
voluntary, or the leader may call upon some 
particular one for the opening, and upon an- 
other for the closing prayer. The latter 
method not only insures a prompt beginning, 
but also facilitates responses because of the 
fact that, until the one specified to close prays, 
the call for prayer presses with unbroken 

urgency. 

96 



PRAYER IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

106. The season of sentence prayers can be 
used with great profit in the closing moments 
when there still remain many who have not 
prayed. Just before the benediction have the 
company stand with bowed heads while as 
many as will volunteer lead in prayer. Let it 
be known that if two or three pray at once it 
will not spoil the meeting. God can hear. God 
will hear. Better by far at such a moment the 
united and eager voices of many talking with 
God than awkward absence of response. Mag- 
nify this closing privilege. Many will respond, 
and, in doing so, will bless both themselves 
and others. 

107. Give opportunity for those who desire 
to do so to make public acknowledgment of 
answered prayer. 

108. It is very fitting that in a meeting called 
for prayer some time should be taken for con- 
sideration of this great subject ; indeed, so im- 
portant and appropriate is this theme, it is al- 
ways in order to consider it, whether it be in a 
large way by assigning topics relating to the 
subject beforehand for extended preparation, 
whose presentation shall be followed by gen- 
eral discussion, or whether the leader in some 
unexpected moment drops a question into the 

97 



VAKIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

service for informal discussion. Both methods 
should, in time, be used. The first requires 
more time and demands careful preparation 
on the part of some; while the second by its 
unexpectedness and the opportunity for uni- 
versal reply it affords, will effectually dispel 
any disinterestedness that may be creeping 
into the meeting. Here is a quiver of ques- 
tions adapted to such use : 

(1) Why should we pray "in Jesus's name"? 

(2) Why are answers to our prayers sometimes de- 
layed? 

(3) What is the difference between supplication and 
intercession? 

(4) Why should we pray for one another? 

(5) What are the requisites of true prayer? 

(6) How great is the power of prayer? 

(7) Why should we observe family worship? 

(8) Is prayer simply asking God for what we want? 

(9) Why should we come together to pray? 

(10) What relation does the Holy Spirit bear to our 
prayers? 

(11) Of what importance is prayer? 

(12) What part should praise have in prayer? 
Confession? 

(13) What relation does restitution bear to prayer? 
Forgiveness? 

(14) Why do I believe in prayer? 

(15) What place does faith occupy in true prayer? 

(16) Can we make up for the lack of praying by 
doing? 



PEAYEK IN THE PEAYER MEETING 

(17) Is praying, in itself, without reference to God's 
answer, beneficial to the one who prays? 

(18) How and when did I begin to pray in public? 

(19) How great is the worth of secret prayer? 

(20) How can we "pray without ceasing"? 

(21) Of what value are written prayers? 

(22) What place does prayer occupy in the soul- 
winner's equipment? 

(23) How does God send the answers to our prayers? 

(24) What should we especially pray for just now? 

109. With the Bible in everyone's hands read 
and study the Bible prayers. One upon any 
particular evening will be enough. These 
models of devotion, these passionate heart 
cries, these petitions that moved heaven to 
answer will not only instruct in the form and 
manner of prayer, but will also inspire and 
encourage its practice. 

110. The study of the prayers of God's 
great men and women whose lives are found 
outside the Bible record will likewise be of 
profit. 



99 



CHAPTER VII 
THE PRAYER MEETING LESSON 






Paeageaph 

111. The Word of God should have a place. 

112. Who should present lesson? 

113. Reading the lesson. 

114. Nature of comment. 

115, 116. Enlisting others to help in the presentation. 

117. The leader should always he prepared. 

118. Blackboard presentation. 

119. Omit comment. 

120. Time, how long? 

121. Time, when? 

122. Series. 

123. Announce reference before meeting. 

124. Selecting the Scripture. 

125. Topic notebook. 

126. Where to secure lists of topics. 

127. Bible reading. 

128. Ten methods by which the company may 

introduce Scripture. 









CHAPTER VII 

The Prayer Meeting Lesson 
''Search the Scriptures/' — John 5. 39. 

111. It is indeed fitting that those who come 
to talk to God should also hear from him ; and 
this they do not only when their hearts listen 
to the inner voice, but also when they give a 
place in their prayer service, as should always 
be done, for the reading of God's Word. 

112. The presentation of the Scripture les- 
son naturally falls upon the leader, who, by 
position, training, and opportunity for prepa- 
ration, is especially fitted for this task, which, 
ordinarily, he should perform. If a visiting 
minister, a retired minister, or a former pastor 
is present, it is fitting to invite him to present 
the Scripture ; or, if there be laymen with gifts 
for such service, it is well, occasionally, to in- 
vite such to perform it; but such invitation 
should always be extended, if possible, before 
the hour of service. 

113. The reading of the lesson may be by any 
one of four methods : 

103 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

(1) The lesson may be read by the leader. 

(2) The leader may request another to read it. 

(3) The lesson may be read in concert. 

(4) It may be read responsively, in at least eight 
different ways: (1) by the leader and company, (2) by 
two persons selected by the leader, (3) by the men and 
the women, (4) by those under twenty-one and those 
over twenty-one years of age, (5) by the choir and the 
company, (6) by those sitting in two sections of chairs, 
(7) by rows of chairs, the front row taking the first 
verse, the second row the second verse, and continuing 
thus until the lesson is completed, and (8) the leader 
or some one appointed by him may read the Revised 
Version and another or the entire company may read 
the same verse from the Authorized Version. 

The first method is exclusive and personal — 
the leader alone carries the responsibility ; the 
second provides the leader with a splendid op- 
portunity for training young people in the fine 
art of reading the Holy Scriptures in the con- 
gregation, a training which will pave the way 
for larger responsibility later on ; the last two 
methods place the Book in everybody's hands 
and the Word in everybody's mouth, things 
always worth while. 

114. The comment upon the lesson should 
not be shaped into a sermon. That form of ad- 
dress should be reserved for the Sunday serv- 
ice. The term, "prayer meeting talk," which 
has come to be applied to the prayer meeting 

104 



THE PEAYER MEETING LESSON 

address, is well chosen, fitting the case exactly. 
This address should be a heart-to-heart talk 
from one member of the church family to his 
fellows ; it should be soulful and sympathetic, 
a message which deals with the everyday life 
of the company, the experiences of their hearts 
and the work of their hands ; it should be full 
of counsel, comfort, and, if need be, warning ; 
it should throb with inspiration and hope. 
Far-fetched subjects, theological hairsplitting 
and abstruse dissertation should have no place 
here. When the leader is done the company 
should feel they know God's will better, and 
have greater eagerness, for the Master's sake 
and the world's, to do it. 

115. At times, the leader may request an- 
other to present the subject; or, if he desires, 
he may invite several persons to assist him in 
this privilege. Previous to the service give slips 
with questions or topics relating to the subject, 
together with the number of minutes to be 
used by each, to those it is desired shall present 
them. Your helpers will thus have a clear 
before-meeting understanding as to what is ex- 
pected of them. In the meeting, before you call 
for any topic, announce that each speaker is to 
have a particular number of minutes, the num- 

105 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

ber given previously with the topics, and that 
a tap of your pencil will indicate their expira- 
tion, and that, if they desire it, they may have 
one more minute to close their remarks. With 
this clear understanding on the part of every- 
one, "calling time" upon any speaker will not 
he a cause of embarrassment, but rather an 
occasion for gratitude — on the part of the 
speaker, because he is saved from trespassing 
upon the time allotted to others, a thing that, 
when absorbed in speaking, one with the best 
of intentions may easily do, and, on the part 
of the company, that they are in the hands of 
a leader who safeguards the interests of all, 
hearers and speakers, alike. After all the 
topics have been presented, the leader should 
relate the whole, and apply. 

116. At other times announce the subject 
with Scripture reference one week or at least 
the Sunday before, with the request that every- 
one prepare to contribute some word of com- 
ment, exposition, or an illustration. Welcome 
clippings relating to the theme which your 
people glean from their reading. The oppor- 
tunity thus placed before all will be accepted 
by many, and, while no one can be permitted 
to speak at length, the variety, richness, and 

106 



THE PRAYER MEETING LESSON 

beauty of the truth as it flashes from many 
minds will charm and delight. 

117. This sharing of the delivery of the mes- 
sage with others will not relieve the leader of 
the obligation of adequate preparation; for 
upon him devolves the task of directing the 
presentation, relating the parts, and, in the 
end, summing up ; and besides, he must also, in 
the case of the failure of those who are ex- 
pected to take part, fill in ; but he should in no 
case, when others are expected to speak, ex- 
haust the subject in the opening moments. To 
do so is, to say the least, to be unfair, and no 
prayer meeting leader should consent to be 
guilty of that discourtesy. 

118. Some themes admit of blackboard pres- 
entation. With a ready writer, the leader or 
some other, at the board, let the company pre- 
ferably, or, if they fail, the leader, indicate 
the keyword or words in the verse or passage, 
or the leading thoughts in the same. You will 
find every eye following the hand of the 
writer. The advantage of this simple exercise 
is twofold : first, in the fact that though only 
a few words are written, or possibly a single 
sentence, yet the whole company will have 
their minds intent upon selecting the same; 

107 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

and second, in the fact that when it is done the 
eye will help remember what the ear has heard. 

119. Sometimes read the Scripture without 
any comment or "talk" at all. 

120. Do not use more than fifteen minutes 
for Scripture presentation; it is the hour of 
prayer. Opportunity for extended Bible study 
should be provided elsewhere. 

121. The mere shifting of the time of the 
presentation of the lesson, at one time in the 
beginning, at another in the middle, and at 
another toward the end or even at the very 
close of the service will give variety. 

122. The use of "series" of studies, in which 
each separate study, though complete in itself, 
presents some phase of the common topic, will 
be found highly profitable, not only because of 
the larger grasp of the subject which is made 
possible, but also because such a plan is ad- 
mirably adapted to sustain interest. 

123. Placing the Scripture reference upon 
the blackboard a week before its presentation 
will serve a twofold purpose : It will be a con- 
stant reminder to all who see it of the midweek 
hour of prayer, and it also provides opportu- 
nity for preparation to all, which privilege 
some, at least, will gladly improve. 

108 



THE PEAYER MEETING LESSON 

124. The leader who selects his own Scrip- 
ture lessons has opportunity, because of his ac- 
quaintance with the people and conditions, to 
meet the situation in a very blessed way. How- 
ever, some prefer to use subjects selected by 
others. The first method requires more initia- 
tive and originality; the second is likely to 
afford a larger measure of helps, expository 
and illustrative. The first is to gather the 
bouquet yourself ; the second is to take it from 
some one else. Both have their advantages. 
Freshness will surely characterize the one, 
richness and elegance the other. Each leader 
must choose for himself and may find it wise 
to use upon some occasions one, and upon other 
occasions the other. Some pastors select and 
publish their topics for a quarter and some- 
times even for a year in advance ; but topics so 
planned should give way to those themes 
which, though brought forth by conditions and 
circumstances which were unforeseen, yet, 
nevertheless, are of such importance as to 
demand immediate consideration. 

125. If you select your own topics, and you 
should do so for a part of the time, at least, you 
will find it profitable to have a topic notebook. 
In it put down, as you discover them, verses 

109 



VAKIETY IN THE PEAYER MEETING 

and passages suitable for prayer meeting use, 
together with such notes explanatory and illus- 
trative as may occur at the time. If you ask 
your people to hand you on slips of paper pas- 
sages that are of especial interest to them you 
will greatly augment your own list and will 
have at hand a storehouse of material, rich, 
ready, and appropriate, and, consequently, 
such as will command attention, upon which 
you may draw as occasion may require. 

126. Those who desire to secure published 
lists of prayer meeting topics, with Scriptural 
references, are referred to their denomina- 
tional boards or to Appendix A of this volume, 
where books containing such lists are noted. 

127. The leader may bring the Scripture les- 
son to the meeting in the form of a Bible read- 
ing. In such cases the members of the com- 
pany should promptly take the references as 
the leader reads them, and be prepared to read 
the passages when called upon. 

128. While it devolves upon the leader to 
bring the regular Scripture lesson to the meet- 
ing, it is his privilege, as well, to encourage his 
people to bring other passages of the Word. 
These may be used in connection with the regu- 
lar lesson or apart from it, as he may deter- 

110 



THE PRAYER MEETING LESSON 

mine, and, occasionally, they may take its. 
place. These passages may be introduced by 
any of the following methods : 

(1) General quotations. Open the meeting for vol- 
unteers to quote any passages of Scripture they may 
choose. 

(2) Promises. Let those who will respond with 
promises. If you desire a larger response both as to 
number and variety than an impromptu call brings, give 
one week's notice, requesting those in one section to 
bring, say, promises for sinners, another section prom- 
ises for the converted, another for material blessings,. 
and another promises relating to heaven. 

(3) Initial verses. Invite your company to bring 
to the meeting verses of Scripture beginning with the 
initials of their last names. If your company be large,, 
before you call for responses, divide the alphabet into 
three or four sections; have all those who come within 
the first section, say A to G, stand, and, when the leader 
calls their initials, repeat their verses and sit down. Do. 
the same with the remaining sections, interspersing the 
reciting of Scripture with singing. Have a teller keep 
tally, and when done, report the number taking part. 
A delightful exercise this, one that leads the company 
to search the Word for "my verse" and to make a per- 
sonal contribution of it to the meeting. 

(4) Favorite verses. Call for favorite verses, and 
encourage those who respond to give the reason for 
their preference. 

(5) Prophecy and its fulfillment. After previous 
announcement so as to provide adequate time for prep- 
aration, open the meeting for volunteers to give some 
prophecy and also the Scripture showing its fulfillments 

111 



VAKIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

The leader should be prepared with a list of prophecies 
and their fulfillment so as to be ready to supplement 
those given by the company should the response be 
meager. Indeed, he may guarantee a good response by 
passing slips with the references before the opening 
of the service, giving them to those who have not made 
any selection of their own. If he does this, he should 
enlist the larger number of persons by giving the 
prophecy to one person and its fulfillment to another. 

(6) Keywords. Select some word you desire to study 
with your company and announce it as a "keyword" 
with the request that each one bring a verse containing 
it to the next meeting. Welcome a word of comment 
from each upon the passage he brings. 

(7) Words of Jesus. Have attendants quote some 
command, promise, warning, prayer, invitation, or any 
other of the words of Jesus. 

(8) Words of Saint Paul. Spend ten minutes with 
Saint Paul, having the company quote only his words. 

(9) The Psalms. Do the same with the Psalms. 

(10) Use the Proverbs in a similar manner. 

In the presentation of the above exercises 
the one speaking should stand unless there be 
reasons to the contrary, and speak distinctly. 
Since most of these passages must necessarily 
be short, let them be given from memory as far 
as possible; but let those who are not willing 
to risk their memory be encouraged to read 
their contributions; it is better for them and 
for the meeting that they read than that they 
should take no part whatever. 

112 



CHAPTER VIII 
PRAYER MEETING TESTIMONY 



Paragraph 

129. Testimony has a place in the prayer meeting. 

130, 131. Its nature. 

132. Voluntary, chiefly. 

133. Its length. 

134. Posture. 

135. To shift privilege. 

136. To enlist new voices. 

137. Written testimonies. 

138. Returned absentees. 

139. Leader should direct. 

140. To expedite testimony. 

141. Sentence testimony. 

142. Shift period. 

143. The just-before-dismissal testimony. 



CHAPTER VIII 

Prayer Meeting Testimony 

"Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testi- 
mony of our Lord." — 2 Timothy 1. 8. 

129. It was a conviction of the author's in 
his earlier experience that a prayer meeting 
should be made, as he was wont to express it, 
"really a prayer meeting," that is, a service for 
prayer supplemented by singing and Scripture 
reading, but without any testimony whatever. 
Not that he did not believe in relating personal 
experience, far from it ; but because he did not 
believe that testimony fell within the province 
of the prayer meeting, but of other services in 
the church, notably the class meeting. Ac- 
cordingly he ordered his prayer meetings so — 
made them "really prayer meetings," and 
though they were services that greatly helped 
all who came in touch with them, yet, it must 
be confessed, they lacked that blessed some- 
thing which the spoken word of testimony 
gives. After a while, learning more concern- 
ing the nature of prayer itself, he saw that 
there is in it not only a place for petition, but 

115 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

also for praise; for did not our Lord, who 
taught us to petition "Give us this day our 
daily bread," also teach us the way of praise, 
"For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and 
the glory"? Grasping this truth, it was but 
a step to carry it to the prayer meeting; for 
if praise should be found in true prayer we 
should also expect to find it in a true prayer 
meeting. The one without it must be as in- 
complete as the other. The praise we put into 
our prayers is not adequate for this service; 
nor do songs of praise meet the need for praise 
any more than songs of prayer meet the need 
for prayer. We sing prayers and pray besides ; 
we sing praises, and to complete our privilege, 
should speak them also — we should talk about 
what Jesus has done for us, for his glory. 
Seeing this, the author rebuilt his prayer 
meeting to the joy of his own heart and the 
great blessing of his people. 

130. Prayer meeting testimony should not be 
merely comment; it should be real testimony. 
There is a difference ; and the leader should in- 
struct his people in this matter. Comment re- 
quires head; testimony also requires heart. 
Comment is impersonal; testimony is per- 
sonal. Comment is likely to smother the fire ; 

116 



PRAYER MEETING TESTIMONY 

testimony will kindle it. Comment may be 
dead; testimony is always life. Comment has 
its place, let us admit, as when topics are up 
for consideration, but it should not come into 
the testimony service and supplant the simple 
telling of the gracious experiences of the 
heart in things divine. 

131. Prayer meeting testimony should also 
dwell very lightly upon the magnitude of past 
sins, unless such sins are still unconfessed and 
unforgiven; in which case confession should 
be as complete as God's law of forgiveness 
demands. To magnify sin is to magnify the 
devil. The followers of Jesus are not called 
upon to do that. When God forgives sins he 
says he "will remember them no more," and 
if he does not even remember them we should, 
at least, not unduly recount them. Prayer 
meeting testimony should witness for Jesus, 
his love, his grace, his power to save ; it should 
exalt the Holy Ghost ; it should tell of the new- 
found life, its progress, its comfort, its hope; 
it should speak of battles fought and victories 
won; it should speak of the joy of the Lord 
which is strength, and, if joy is dimmed, of 
faith which should never suffer eclipse — in 
short, it should glorify God. 

117 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

132. As a rule make the testimony service a 
voluntary one. There will be times, however, 
when you will want certain persons to speak, 
and in such cases you should not hesitate to 
call upon them. You will find it refreshing, 
also, to occasionally employ, if the company 
be not so large as to take too much time for 
it, the old-time class meeting method of our 
fathers. Call upon one, and another, and then 
another till you have called upon all present ; 
and, when each has spoken, take him by the 
hand and quote an appropriate verse of Scrip- 
ture or give some word of counsel or exhorta- 
tion suitable to his case. Intersperse this ex- 
ercise with singing. 

133. Let brevity be the rule in the testimony 
meeting. Exceptions should be rare. Brevity 
will give greater blessing and larger variety 
from the simple fact that many different 
phases of experience may be heard from as 
many different voices. If the meeting pos- 
sesses those who are inclined to great length 
they may be helped to their privilege in this 
matter by applying the rule for obtaining 
short prayers found in paragraph 97 in the 
chapter on "Prayer in the Prayer Meeting." 

134. Those speaking should stand unless 

118 



PEAYEE MEETING TESTIMONY 

there should be special reason for sitting. 
The standing witness can more easily be heard, 
and, moreover, one so speaking is more clearly 
distinguished from his fellows and more defi- 
nitely committed as a witness, things desirable 
always. When two or more arise at the same 
time to speak, encourage those who are to 
speak last to exercise "standing grace" by re- 
maining upon their feet until their testimony 
is given. The mere fact that people are stand- 
ing waiting their turn to speak a word for 
the Master is inspiring. 

135. To avoid the same willing one half 
dozen monopolizing the meeting each week 
see paragraph 89 in the chapter on "Prayer in 
the Prayer Meeting," where rules for meeting 
the dangers of the voluntary service are found. 
As applied to testimony they would be, briefly : 
Call for testimony by sections or by pews ; re- 
quest the speakers of the week before to keep 
silent; have testimony by sexes; speak by 
ages; open the meeting for school folks only, 
the teachers, high school and grade pupils; 
give the time exclusively to members of your 
young people's society ; do the same with your 
Sunday school teachers; and hear only from 
new converts. By these methods the privilege 

119 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

of the service is passed around and freshness 
is secured. 

136. A word from a new voice always adds 
to the power of the meeting. In the presence 
of those accustomed to speak persons who have 
not improved their privilege in this matter 
are usually timid. Such should be encouraged 
to take definite part. Persuade them that they 
can mention at least one thing for which they 
are thankful. Then make way for such by 
requesting that no one speak except those who 
have never spoken before. Encouragement 
given in love, both outside and inside the meet- 
ing, is sure to enlist new voices as the weeks 
come and go; and from the simple statement 
of thanksgiving they will be led to larger ex- 
pression concerning the facts relative to their 
Christian experience. 

137. Let it be known that written testi- 
monies will be welcomed. The hesitant and 
timid may thus be actively enlisted in the 
service, and, having begun, will sooner or later 
outgrow the method. Encourage your people, 
also, to send their testimonies, when away, 
that they may be read in the meeting. 

138. When regular prayer meeting attend- 
ants, because of absence from home, sickness, 

120 



PRAYER MEETING TESTIMONY 

or other reasons, have been denied the privi- 
lege of the service for several weeks, upon their 
return give them the first chance to speak and 
that without limit. The words they bring 
from their new contact with life, in sickness, 
business, or pleasure, will be like treasures 
brought from far. 

139. The leader may direct the testimonies 
along any particular line he may choose, al- 
ways remembering to accord to those who 
speak the privilege of taking up any other 
line they may prefer. He may suggest that 
the testimonies cluster around the Scripture 
lesson ; about some item of interest in the com- 
munity in its relation to the Christian life ; or 
about some particular phase of personal ex- 
perience. The suggestion may take the form 
of a question which those who speak may 
answer. Any subject, thus elucidated, will 
take on newer and richer meaning. 

140. To expedite testimony, it is well and 
will give variety, occasionally, to ask all those 
who desire to speak to arise at once; then as 
the leader indicates, let each one speak, and 
having done, sit down. 

141. If the company be large or the time 
limited, or both, and it is desired that all 

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VAKIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

speak, have each person name one thing for 
which he praises God; or, to put it another 
way, request each one to complete the sen- 
tence, "I am glad for "; or, let each be 

free to express his heart in whatever way he 
chooses provided he does it in a single sen- 
tence. This service, if joined in heartily by the 
company, teems with interest; but it should 
be kept going. If five or six or more are 
standing waiting their turn to speak, all the 
better. If it should drag, do something else. 

142. Shift the period given to testimony. 
Sometimes let it come early in the meeting; 
sometimes in the middle; and at other times 
toward the close of the service. The mere 
fact of shifting will help keep the meeting 
from running in a rut. 

143. In the moments just before the benedic- 
tion, instead of having the company stand 
with bowed heads while a great many respond 
with sentence prayers, have them stand and 
give sentence testimonies. The fact that 
everybody is upon his feet on the eve of dis- 
missal will help some to take part who have 
not courage as yet to arise in the crowd, stand 
alone, and speak. Voices thus won will be in 
line for larger effort in days to follow. 

122 



CHAPTER IX 
PRAYER MEETING MUSIC 



Paragraph 

144. The handmaid of prayer. 

145. Posture. 

146. Musical instruments and performers. 

147. Hymn book. 

148. Chorister. 

149. Who should select hymns? 

150. Chorus choir. 

151. Congregational singing. 

152. Special music. 

153. Seasons of song. 

154. Antiphonal. 

155. In unison. 

156. Without books. 

157. Spontaneous song. 

158. Old Hymn Service. 

159. Favorite Hymn Service. 

160. Knee hymns. 

161. Read hymns. 

162. Study hymns. 

163. Bible reading on song. 

164. Discarded hymn books. 

165. Whistle. 



CHAPTER IX 

Prayer Meeting Music 

"In psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" — 
Colossians 3. 16. 

144. Sacred music is the beautiful hand- 
maid of prayer, and as such should always 
have a large place in the prayer meeting. 

145. As a rule have the company remain 
seated while singing. The only regular ex- 
ception should be during the singing of the 
last hymn when the company should stand. 
All other exceptions should be at the discre- 
tion of the leader. The prayer meeting is a 
midweek service, and many of your people 
have come from a day of toil. They come to 
the service weary in body. If they had stayed 
at home they would be spending the hour in 
their easy-chairs. Do not press them into the 
"rising and falling" habit. It distracts. Let 
them sit still and rest and commune. When 
the hour is done the rest you have ministered 
to their bodies will have helped to minister 
rest to their souls. 

125 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

146. Use the organ or piano. The instru- 
ment will add sweetness, volume, and power 
to the singing. In the selection of your or- 
ganist you will do well to pass by the bril- 
liant, but irregular and sometimes tardy, one 
for the regular but less brilliant performer. 
Appreciate your organist. Let her know per- 
sonally you are conscious of and are thankful 
for her interest and help in the service; and, 
if you will but give them opportunity, the 
people will gladly join you in saying "thank 
you" to this worker who contributes so much 
to the pleasure and success of the meeting. 

147. Those who use the hymn book in their 
midweek service as a rule insist that there is 
no song book its equal for this purpose. The 
high type both of hymns and tunes makes it 
worthy of all the praise it receives; yet there 
is no doubt but that in most places the smaller 
and lighter volume of the gospel meeting type 
is used, and, very likely, will continue in its 
popularity. But whatever book is chosen the 
supply should be plentiful enough so that each 
attendant may have a copy. 

148. The prayer meeting chorister need not 
only know how to carry a tune, he should also 
know God — he should be a man full of faith 

126 



PRAYER MEETING MUSIC 

and of the Holy Ghost, a man acquainted with 
the way of prayer. If he possesses only an 
ordinary voice that fact should not militate 
against him ; in truth, the likelihood, yes, cer- 
tainty, is, that he will more abundantly bless 
the meeting than some musical enthusiast who 
has not learned the way of prayer. If, besides 
being devoted to God, he is well versed in 
music and possesses a fine voice, both he and 
the prayer meeting company have a special 
reason for gratitude to God. In many places 
the privilege of leading in song devolves upon 
the leader, and happy is that leader who can 
and is willing to meet it even though it be in 
a very limited way; for he will find that the 
lack of a cultivated voice does not preclude 
the possibility of enlisting the interest of the 
people in sacred song nor keep him from lead- 
ing them to glad response with their voices. 
But whoever he may be, the chorister should 
give attention to these four things: (1) He 
should stand where all the people can see him. 
(2) He should have the hymns ready upon the 
moment. (3) He should encourage everybody 
to sing. (4) He should not suffer the people 
to sing too slowly. 

149. The leader should select the hymns to 

127 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

be used before the service begins, and should, 
at times, share this privilege with his people. 
This may be done by inviting volunteers at 
large to announce numbers. If the response 
be tardy, the leader should call from his own 
list. To make response more prompt and cer- 
tain he may request some particular person, 
or some designated group, say, those in a cer- 
tain row of seats, or those in a certain section, 
or the choir to be ready with a hymn, when, 
after prayer, Scripture reading, or other ex- 
ercise, it is desired to sing again. Sharing the 
selection of the hymns with the company will 
give larger variety in the selection, while per- 
sons choosing hymns will be personally bound 
closer to the meeting. Furthermore, some will 
call for hymns who will not volunteer to pray 
audibly or testify, and anything that enlists 
a new voice in the meeting, even in a small 
way, is worth while. 

150. Have a chorus choir in your prayer 
meeting. If possible, let it be composed of 
children and young people who do not sing in 
the regular church choir. Do not form a close 
organization — rather let it be free like the 
gathering of young people around the fireside 
for an evening of song. Your service will be 

128 



PEAYER MEETING MUSIC 

helped by such a choir in three ways: the 
young people thus recognized will be bound 
closer to the service; their singing will bless 
every prayer meeting attendant; and the par- 
ents of the singers, gratified at the recognition 
given their children in the church, will take a 
larger interest in the meeting. If after a few 
months the choir members begin to show a 
hesitancy about entering the choir, discontinue 
it for a season. The members will thus get to 
enjoy the prayer meeting from the angle of 
the congregation. When the time is ripe call 
your young people into the choir again. You 
will find them ready to respond. 

151. Congregational singing should be the 
rule. This is preeminently a people's service, 
and this is one way in which that fact can be 
emphasized. Even those who boast that they 
cannot carry a tune should be encouraged to 
make the effort, even though they come no 
nearer than merely to read. When the stranger 
who leaves your service says, "Everybody sings 
in that prayer meeting," he has paid your peo- 
ple a fine compliment indeed. 

152. Solos, duets, and quartets will give 
variety and enrich your service. Employ chil- 
dren as well as adults in this manner. None 

129 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

but professing Christians should render special 
music in this service, and they should not he 
of the type that, having rendered their special 
part, haste away to their easy-chairs at home 
or to some social gathering elsewhere. Folks 
who sing here should love God and also the 
prayer meeting. No matter how beautifully 
they sing, the other kind cannot contribute 
much to the spiritual welfare of the meeting, 
and besides, God's praying band does not have 
to be patronized. 

153. We have seasons of prayer in which 
several prayers are offered consecutively, why 
not have seasons of song after the same man- 
ner? Without interruption sing not over two 
stanzas of four or five hymns. The fact that 
song follows song will be somewhat different 
from the almost universal method of singing 
but one hymn at a time. 

154. Sing antiphonally. Many hymns and 
choruses are admirably adapted for this kind 
of singing, and the choir makes their use 
ideallypossible. If there be no choir excellent 
results can be obtained by dividing the com- 
pany into two sections for this purpose. 

155. Occasionally, have the company sing 
in unison. The swelling of song in this man- 

130 



PRAYER MEETING MUSrC 

ner is full of power, and, moreover, possesses 
a peculiar charm. 

156. The Christian Church of this age has 
the song-book habit. We open the book and 
follow the page while we sing words as fa- 
miliar as "We're marching to Zion" and "A 
charge to keep I have." It is worth while, 
sometimes, to remind ourselves of this com- 
mon fault and to break away from it for a few 
moments. When a familiar hymn is to be 
sung, ask the company to close their books, 
look away from them, open their mouths, and 
sing like God's birds. And they will. If you 
put your hymn books away for a whole evening 
and sing out of your hearts, you will have a 
keener appreciation of the conditions under 
which God's people worshiped in the days be- 
fore hymn books came into vogue. 

157. In the testimony service, and occa- 
sionally in other parts of the meeting, do not 
take time for the organist to hunt the music. 
The reason is threefold : As a rule but a single 
stanza or chorus should be sung at such a mo- 
ment, and it is an unprofitable use of time to 
spend as much of it in finding the selection as 
is used in its singing; again, singing without 
the instrument provides opportunity for in- 

131 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

troducing stanzas and choruses not found in 
the song book in hand ; and, finally, the pause 
occasioned by place hunting breaks into the 
swing of the meeting. If the organist can 
catch the tune on the fly well and good ; if not, 
go on without her. She will take no offense. 
If you encourage your people not to wait for 
the leader or chorister to start all the choruses, 
but to improve this privilege themselves, your 
service will be enriched thereby. When you 
come to the close of the service, announce the 
hymn, and with instrument and voices give 
praise to God. 

158. Have an Old-Hymn Service. Use none 
but old hymns. Line them, as was the custom 
in the days of our fathers, and, for at least a 
part of them, do not use the instrument. En- 
list the aged members of your company to 
assist in the selection of the numbers, pref- 
erably before the service. They have been 
along the way and will be glad to bring out of 
their other years the hymns that brought them 
and their fathers help and inspiration. 

159. Have a service of favorite hymns. Re- 
quest each one to hand in a slip bearing his 
own name and the number of his favorite 
hymn before or at the beginning of the serv- 

132 



PRAYER MEETING MUSIC 

ice, and, when you are ready to use each num- 
ber, announce it and call upon the one whose 
favorite it is to give the reason for his prefer- 
ence — mother or father used to sing it, it was 
sung when I was converted, etc., etc. Or, if 
you prefer, do not use the slips, but let each 
one who desires to have his favorite hymn sung 
announce it in person. If your prayer meeting 
is so large you do not have time to sing all the 
numbers proposed, sing only a few and give 
the remaining hymns a place by having those 
whose favorites they are select and read a 
stanza. Or, if there be not time enough for 
this, let only the name of the hymn be given. 
However, always have those who respond give 
the reason for their choice, because when they 
do so they make a personal contribution to 
the meeting, a thing to be encouraged always. 
Ten minutes of prayer meetings other than 
those announced especially for this service can 
be profitably employed in this exercise in its 
briefer form. 

160. Occasionally, in seasons of prayer, sing 
softly a "knee hymn," that is, a hymn of sur- 
render, of consecration, or of petition. To do 
so is always appropriate and will be found 
especially helpful in carrying the service in 

133 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

moments when volunteers hesitate. The 
bowed bodies, the grand hymn, the sweet soft 
music, the looking into God's face — all these 
conspire to touch and move the heart, they 
kindle the fires of devotion. Such hymns 
should not be announced by number, nor 
should the spirit of prayer be broken into by 
place hunting in hymn books. Use only fa- 
miliar hymns, hymns out of the heart and out 
of the life, hymns that become for the singers 
really prayers because they have made them 
truly their own. To avoid the constant use 
of two or three the leader should have at his 
command several of the many suitable for such 
use. The following list, which makes no pre- 
tension to completeness, is yet full enough to 
guarantee the leader who makes use of it 
against repetitious choice: 

Take my life and let it be. 

Just as I am, without one plea. 

Saviour, more than life to me. 
Chorus: Every day, every hour. 

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole. 
Chorus: Whiter than snow, Whiter than snow. 

My Jesus, I love thee. 

I am coming to the cross. 
Chorus: J am trusting, Lord, in thee. 
134 



PRAYER MEETING MUSIC 

Lord, I hear of showers of blessing. 
Chorus: Even me, even me. 

My faith looks up to thee. 

I hear thy welcome voice. 
Chorus: I am coming, Lord. 

Alas! And did my Saviour bleed? 

Chorus: Help me, dear Saviour, thee to own. 

I am coming to Jesus for rest. 
Chorus: I believe Jesus saves. 

Nearer, my God, to thee. 

Jesus, my Lord, to thee I cry. 
Chorus: Take me as I am. 

There is a name I love to hear. 
Chorus: Oh, how I love Jesus! 

Holy Spirit, faithful guide. 

All to Jesus I surrender. 
Chorus: I surrender all. 

I can hear my Saviour calling. 
Chorus: Where he leads me I will follow. 

161. It is well, at times, to read a hymn. 
Any one of several methods may be used: An 
individual may read it, or several persons may 
do so, each taking a verse. Those who may 
not have used their voices alone in the meet- 
ing may be enlisted to take part in this way, 
and becoming accustomed to hearing their 
voices in the congregation, be emboldened to 
take up their privilege as to prayer and testi- 

135 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

mony; selected groups, by age, by sex, or by 
sections of seats, may read it; the choir may 
do it; or the company and leader may read re- 
sponsively or in unison. Do not always sing 
the hymn after reading it. 

162. Study the great hymns. A word of 
comment by the leader upon a hymn, its mean- 
ing, some incident relative to it, or the life 
and work of its author, will be helpful. If it 
is desired to enlarge this phase of the service, 
assign topics covering the points indicated 
above to members for special preparation rela- 
tive to some selected hymn and allow longer 
time for their presentation. A larger appre- 
ciation of the hymns of the church by everyone 
present will surely follow. 

163. A Scripture reading upon "Song" will 
enrich either the old-hymn or the favorite- 
hymn service. 

164. When you buy a hymn book different 
from the one you have been using, do not dis- 
pose of the old books. Keep them where you 
can get them whenever wanted. Occasionally 
use them for an evening instead of the books 
you use regularly. For the people to have 
them in their hands will be like touching old 
friends. Moreover, it is likely that they con- 

136 



PRAYER MEETING MUSIC 

tain hymns not to be found in the new hook, 
hymns the singing of which will not only give 
variety to the service of song, but will also 
call forth happy memories of other days which 
will lift and cheer. 

165. Once in a while do this good thing: 
While your women sing a chorus have your 
men whistle it. Why not? Dear Brother 
Formality may be greatly shocked. Never 
mind. Just keep sweet and go on. God has 
not said it is wicked to whistle in church. The 
truth is, the women of our households sing 
and the men whistle the same tune ; the women 
bring their song to church, and the men, when 
they come, must leave their whistle outside. 
Let us reform. Have the men bring their 
whistle in. It is just as religious to whistle 
as it is to sing, provided you whistle the right 
tune, and prayer meeting tunes are, or should 
be, right. Women's singing and men's whis- 
tling combined make fine music. The lads in 
the meeting will like it, of course, and other 
folks too, and even Dear Brother Formality 
will have to admit, after a few happy oc- 
casions, that "it sounds pretty good." 



137 



CHAPTER X 
SPECIAL PRAYER MEETINGS 



Paragraph 

166. Why valuable? 

167-171. Resurrection Prayer Meeting. 

172-179. Patriotic Prayer Meeting. 

180-184. Labor Day Prayer Meeting. 

185-190. Thanksgiving Prayer Meeting. 

191-196. Christmas Prayer Meeting. 

197-202. Old Year-New Year Prayer Meeting. 

203, 204. Tithing Prayer Meeting. 

205-210. Educational Prayer Meeting. 

211-214. Temperance Prayer Meeting. 

215-219. Missionary Prayer Meeting. 

220. Other benevolent causes. 

221-223. Organization Prayer Meeting. 

224, 225. Our comrades of other days. 

226. When the former pastor returns. 

227-230. The Agape, or Love Feast 



CHAPTER X 

Special Prayer Meetings 

"If two of you shall agree on earth as touching 
anything." — Matthew 18. 19. 

166. Special prayer meetings are valuable 
for three reasons: (1) they are something 
different, something out of the ordinary, and, 
consequently, aid in securing variety; (2) 
they require special preparation; and (3) they 
command larger interest and thus draw some 
to the prayer meeting who would not be at- 
tracted by the ordinary service. Herewith are 
submitted suggestions for such services under 
fifteen different heads; and, in view of the 
abundant material available, these sugges- 
tions can find expression in literally dozens of 
special meetings. 

resurrection prayer meeting 

167. Have this prayer meeting Easter morn- 
ing at sunrise. 

168. Beautify the room with flowers. 

169. Let song and testimony and prayer 
throb with praise. Have special music. 

141 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

170. Let the Scripture lesson deal with the 
resurrection story. Carry spices with the 
women in the early morn ; run with Peter and 
John to the sepulcher; go in with Peter and 
then with John and see where the Lord lay, 
and note the folded napkin ; stand with weep- 
ing Mary while she learns that he whom she 
considers the gardener is Jesus; and walk 
with the disciples along the road to Emmaus. 
Let Paul preach about this wondrous event 
(1 Cor. 15). Relate the resurrection of Jesus 
to himself, to his immediate disciples, and to 
his kingdom in all the ages. Sermon after 
sermon is here, too much for one meeting, in 
truth, but enough of it should be appropriated 
to give all a deeper sense of the reality of the 
resurrection and a fuller realization of its 
benefits. 

171. Before you go forth, gather about the 
altar and consecrate yourselves anew to Him 
who is "alive for evermore." 

PATRIOTIC PRAYER MEETING 

172. Love of country and country's flag is 
a noble virtue. To perpetuate the good name, 
the blessing and honor of both is an ambition 
worthy of holy men. In the realization of 

142 



SPECIAL PRAYER MEETINGS 

such an ambition both wrong and right must 
be recognized; the one must be forsaken and 
confessed, the other rallied about and main- 
tained; and, all the while, God must be put 
first, because to do so is to recognize and act 
upon the scriptural affirmation, "Blessed is 
the nation whose God is the Lord." 

173. What better place to do this than the 
prayer meeting, and what better time to do 
it in a special way than the regular prayer 
service just preceding the anniversary of the 
nation's natal day? 

174. Place the flag in your place of prayer. 

175. Have special music. 

176. Do not forget the nation's past. 

177. Face squarely the nation's present 
perils, and note her points of excellence and 
strength. 

178. Build an ideal for the nation's future, 
note the part you as a company should have 
in helping to realize it, and accept it. 

179. Then pray. 

LABOR DAY PRAYER MEETING 

180. The regular prayer meeting immedi- 
ately preceding Labor Day, the first Monday 
in September of each year, may very appro- 

143 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

priately be observed as Labor Day Prayer 
Meeting. The toiling masses are estranged 
from the church, they tell us, but we are loath 
to consider the declaration so true as some 
would have us believe. At any rate it will be 
well to pray about it, that the conscience of 
the church may be quickened concerning her 
duty and that the heart of the toiler may 
become more responsive to his privilege. 

181. Assign appropriate topics to compe- 
tent persons for short discussion; consider 
vocational problems, those of the lawyer, rail- 
road man, doctor, printer, etc. ; and make the 
matter personal by such themes as, "Has Our 
Church a Welcome for the Laboring Man?" 
and, "What Can We as Toilers Do to Win Our 
Fellows to Jesus?" 

182. If a representative of labor competent 
to speak, and who is also a believer in the prac- 
tice and power of prayer, is available, invite 
him to present the evening's theme. 

.183. W^hen you pray remember not only the 
toiler but also his employer, who, while he 
may not carry a load in his hands, may carry 
a greater one in his heart, and may for that 
reason have the greater need of help from on 
high. 

144 



SPECIAL PRAYER MEETINGS 

184. The leader should so shape the meet- 
ing that the company ever after should recog- 
nize in all toilers, whether rich or poor, not 
persons to be patronized, but brothers indeed 
who are worthy of and should receive the glad 
hand of welcome to their rightful place in 
the church of the toiling Christ. 

THANKSGIVING PRAYER MEETING 

185. The prayer meeting upon or just pre- 
ceding the annual national Thanksgiving 
occasion provides the most suitable time for 
this service. 

186. Decorations of fruits and flowers from 
field, garden, and home will be beautiful re- 
minders of the goodness of God during the 
year and give occasion for larger gratitude. 

187. Let the Scripture lesson, the topics to 
be discussed, and the hymns all be in accord 
with the spirit of the occasion. 

188. Invite the company to bring clippings 
upon "Thanksgiving" to be read by them in 
the service. 

189. In the testimony service let each one 
tell at least one definite thing for which he or 
she is grateful. 

190. The prayers should be glad with praise, 

145 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

and, before you go, as a supreme expression 
of your gratitude, give yourselves anew to the 
great Giver of all good. 

/ 

CHRISTMAS PRAYER MEETING 

191. Hold this service just before Christmas. 

192. Decorate with evergreen, holly, and 
mistletoe. 

193. The Scripture lesson, whether from 
prophecy, Gospel, or Epistle, should exalt the 
manger Babe. 

194. The following or similar subjects will 
lead to a larger appreciation of Jesus: "The 
Babe in Prophecy," "God's Supreme Gift," 
"The Angels and the Shepherds," "The Wise 
Men," "Bethlehem," "The Babyhood of Jesus," 
and "Jesus and the Little Children." These 
will lead to a larger appreciation of to-day's 
privilege and duty: "The Children of the 
Heathen," "Home Influences and the Child," 
"Children in the Factories," "Children in the 
Slums," "The Orphan Child," "Our Duty to 
the Child," and "Gifts We Should Give." 

195. Let there be words of praise, Christmas 
songs and carols, and special music, preferably 
by young people. 

196. Worship Him who "was made flesh," 

146 



SPECIAL PRAYER MEETINGS 

and, like the wise men of old, bring your 
choicest, your richest gifts, and lay them at 
his feet. 

OLD YEAR — NEW YEAR PRAYER MEETING 

197. Let this prayer meeting be either the 
last regular one before the close of the old, 
or the first one at the beginning of the new 
year. Or, if desired, the suggestions following 
may answer for two separate meetings, by 
using those relating to the old year in the last, 
and those relating to the new year in the first 
prayer meeting of the year. 

198. Give a part of the service to retro- 
spection. Recount the trials of the year gone 
by. Acknowledge mistakes. Confess wrongs. 
Set forth new truths learned. Note progress 
in holy living. Praise God for triumphs won. 

199. Let the coming year pass in prospect. 
Contemplate the work to be done, its nearness, 
its proportions, its urgency. Measure the 
strength of the enemy. Face duty and privi- 
lege. 

200. The leader may facilitate these discus- 
sions by proposing such topics as these : "The 
Past Year's Failures," "The Past Year's Suc- 
cesses," "What Help May We Gain from Our 

147" 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

Failures?" "What Help May We Gain from 
Our Successes?" "Lost Opportunities," "How 
May We Improve the Time?" "Some Soul 
Enemies We May Meet," and "What is Our 
Supreme Duty the Coming Year?" 

201. In closing let the old year and the new 
year be wedded in a consecration service that 
leaves the past with its failures and successes, 
its defeats and its victories, in the hands of 
Jesus, while it gives every heart without re- 
serve to him, that, cleansed by his blood and 
filled with his Spirit, they may be used by him 
for his glory. 

202. Then, arising, sing Charles Wesley's 
great hymn, "Come, let us anew our journey 
pursue," and go forth to the privilege of life 
again. 

TITHING PRAYER MEETING 

203. As a rule those who attend the prayer 
meeting are persons who, when they are made 
acquainted with the will of God, are ready 
to do it. Consequently this service provides 
large opportunity for advancing the cause of 
scriptural giving. 

204. Four things should enter into this meet- 



148 



SPECIAL PRAYER MEETINGS 

(1) The Scripture bearing upon the subject of 
Christian stewardship should be presented. The mate- 
rial is so abundant that its adequate presentation will 
require many evenings. 

(2) Opportunity should be given to those who have 
practiced tithing to relate their experience. The Scrip- 
tures relating to this subject will thus be illustrated 
and enforced by living witnesses. 

(3) Opportunity should also be given to those who 
wish to enroll themselves with "The Tithers." To this 
end let cards similar to the following be distributed: 



I hereby enroll myself 

among 

THE TITHERS 



Of, if you prefer, use Jacob's pledge: 



Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely 
give the tenth unto thee. — Gen. 28. 22. 



After time has been given for signing, collect the cards 
and enroll the names in. a book kept for that purpose. 
If those who sign desire cards to keep, provide them 
with duplicates. If cards are not available the leader 
may write the pledge upon the blackboard and dis- 
tribute blank slips for the signatures with the under- 
149 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

standing that each one who signs desires his name en- 
rolled. Do not seek to obligate the signers as to any 
detail of time, place, or method of payment; be content 
to have won them to the acceptance of a great principle. 
Let details follow. 

(4) To equip those who enroll themselves with 
ready material for further study and for use among 
others, to provide those who do not see their way clear 
to sign at once with means for further investigation, 
and to arm the veterans of this good way for new 
conquests, let literature relating to this subject be dis- 
tributed at the close of the service. 

EDUCATIONAL PRAYER MEETING 

205. In this day when the churches are more 
and more appreciating the benefits of educa- 
tion and are realizing as never before the im- 
portance of providing for its dissemination 
under distinctively Christian influences, and 
are, moreover, giving larger gifts of time, 
thought, and money for the attainment of that 
end, it is quite fitting that the prayer meeting 
be enlisted in this cause. 

206. The colors and pennants of your own 
church school may very appropriately adorn 
the walls of your prayer meeting room for this 
evening. 

207. For special music, if you have college 
young people who can do it, have them sing a 
college hymn. 

150 



SPECIAL PRAYER MEETINGS 

208. Let persons who have been given the 
topics beforehand discuss three or four of the 
following, or others germane to the subject, 
four or five minutes each: "Why Should We 
Pray for Our Church Schools?" "Our Own 
Church School," "The Problem of the 
Teacher," "The Problem of the Pupil," "The 
Educational Opportunity of Our Young Peo- 
ple," "Our Public Schools," "The Schools and 
Keligion," "The Bible in the School," "Why 
I Went to College?" "Why I am Going to Col- 
lege?" and "Educating One's Self Outside of 
College." 

209. When you pray remember in a particu- 
lar way the academy, college, or university the 
company is or should be vitally interested in, 
and, of course, you will not forget to pray for 
the public schools, bulwark of Protestantism, 
their officers, teachers, and pupils, remember- 
ing, also, the citizenship which supports them. 

210. Have this prayer meeting before the 
young folks go away to college. At the close 
invite them forward and have everybody ex- 
tend the hand of well-wishing and farewell. 
This will give a happy memory to cheer the 
college boy and girl in moments of homesick- 
ness, and will inspire others of the young peo- 

151 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

pie with a desire to make use of the same 
opportunity. 

TEMPERANCE PRAYER MEETING 

211. The battle against strong drink has not 
yet reached the stage where it does not need 
the might of prayer. But mighty praying is 
always based upon knowledge. Men who know 
conditions and needs, men who know resources 
— these may effectually pray. Information 
and prayer — let these occupy a large place 
here. 

212. The information may be provided by 
the leader or by one or several appointed by 
him. But whoever brings the message — it is 
not worth while to suggest topics here, they 
stand out everywhere — should pour facts into 
the meeting, not facts vague and indefinite, 
but particular and incisive and fresh, facts 
concerning friend and foe, facts from far and 
near, facts to think over, facts to weep over, 
facts to shout over, facts to pray over. 

213. When you have the facts then to your 
knees. Pray like men on the eve of battle. 
Pray till the fire burns and you know heaven 
has heard. Then, baptized from above, go 
forth into the to-morrows to strike such blows, 

152 



SPECIAL PRAYER MEETINGS 

with voice and pen and vote, in public and 
private, as shall hasten the ultimate triumph 
of this mighty reform. 

214. The prayer meeting preceding a con- 
test relative to this subject in which the prayer 
meeting attendants are to participate provides 
a specially opportune time for this service. 

MISSIONARY PRAYER MEETING 

215. Since the true church is a missionary 
church, the true prayer meeting must be mis- 
sionary also. The material to be presented is 
so abundant and varied as to make a monthly 
missionary service both interesting and profit- 
able. Missions in the abstract should have 
little place here; but missions in the concrete 
should bulk large. Accordingly, the distin- 
guishing feature of this service should be the 
presentation of the field. This lays the basis 
for intelligent praying and gives inspiration 
for larger doing. 

216. The mission field is so large and new 
material is continually being provided in such 
abundance that the author, instead of present- 
ing ready-made programs, which, of necessity, 
could deal with only a portion of the vast prob- 
lem, submits three methods by which all fields 

153 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

may be presented and the very latest informa- 
tion utilized. The continuous use of any par- 
ticular one of these methods should be avoided : 

(1) The individual method. If some missionary from 
the field or other person specially qualified to speak is 
available, it will be well to have him present the sub- 
ject. In the absence of such help let the leader, who 
has mastered the subject completely, out of a full heart 
press the truth home. 

(2) The company method. In this method let the 
leader prepare as for the individual method, but let 
him announce the subject the week before with the 
request that the entire company also prepare upon it 
and be ready to contribute at least some part, though 
it be only a single fact, to the discussion. With the 
blackboard, map, or chart in plain view of all, let the 
leader by questions direct the course of the comment 
and discussion by eliciting answers as to the land, its 
location, topography, climate, and production; the 
people, their race, political history, social customs, edu- 
cation, morals, religion; and the missionary enter- 
prises of the field, with especial reference to the par- 
ticular one it is desired to lay upon the hearts of the 
company. 

(3) The assignment method. By this plan the leader 
assigns topics relating to the theme to selected persons 
who come to the meeting prepared to report upon them. 
This method lays the responsibility of a larger contri- 
bution upon the few, while the company method lays 
the privilege of a small contribution to the meeting 
upon many, even upon all. Both have their place. 

217. Brief quotations from current litera- 

154 



SPECIAL PEAYEE MEETINGS 

ture, personal letters from missionaries in the 
field, pictures illustrating the land under con- 
sideration, its people, the mission property 
and the missionary, the flag of the country, 
and curios illustrating the life and customs of 
the people, should always be welcomed. 

218. Let the prayers cling around the par- 
ticular field under consideration. 

219. Do not hesitate to distribute mission- 
ary literature at the close of the service. 

OTHER BENEVOLENT CAUSES 

220. It is fitting to discuss not only the mis- 
sionary cause in the prayer meeting, but all 
other benevolent enterprises of the church as 
well. The principles outlined above under the 
head of the Missionary Prayer Meeting can be 
so readily adapted to the presentation of any 
other cause as to require no further treatment 
here. 

ORGANIZATION PRAYER MEETING 

221. The different organizations of the 
church, such as the Sunday school, the young 
people's society, the Brotherhood, the Ladies' 
Aid Society, etc., will appreciate an oppor- 
tunity to occasionally have charge of the mid- 
week service of the church. 

155 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

222. Upon such occasions the society in 
charge should be responsible for the major 
part of the program, which, besides providing 
opportunity for prayer, should seek to ac- 
quaint the hearers with the history, methods, 
and work of the society, the leader merely 
opening the service briefly, and, in the end, 
closing it in a manner appropriate to the occa- 
sion. 

223. The advantages of the organization 
prayer meeting are three : ( 1 ) members of the 
company not members of the organization will 
appreciate more fully the object of the organi- 
zation and the efforts of its members, and, 
accordingly, will be led to give larger sym- 
pathy, and, as opportunity may afford, more 
hearty cooperation, (2) the membership of the 
organization will be drawn into closer touch 
with the prayer meeting, and (3) the special 
interest engendered will mean special invita- 
tions which will most surely enlist others in 
the midweek service. 

OUR COMRADES OF OTHER DAYS 

224. Toil in the service of Jesus binds the 
toilers in one of earth's sweetest relationships ; 
and, as years come and go, so the toilers. There 

156 



• SPECIAL PEAYER MEETINGS 

is no prayer meeting but has its absent ones, 
some who will never come back. To mention 
the names of this "cloud of witnesses" is to 
crowd the memories of their former fellow 
workers with strange and blessed emotion; 
while to recount their words and deeds is to 
incite all to larger endeavor in holy living. 

225. Have a volunteer service. Let those 
who will, arise one by one, and, naming a 
former comrade, relate some incident in his 
life, a struggle, a passion, a hope, a victory, or 
bring anew some word of his, not using more 
than two or three minutes. Under such recital 
hearts will soften as with sweet benedictions. 
Then go to prayer. Pray for the absent ones 
who are still fighting the good fight of faith in 
the church militant and dedicate yourselves to 
the unfinished work of those who have entered 
into the fellowship of the church triumphant. 

WHEN THE FORMER PASTOR RETURNS 

226. When a former pastor is present in the 
prayer meeting have him read the Scripture 
lesson and make the evening's address, using 
whatever time he may choose. At the close of 
his remarks have all who were in the church 
or community at the time of his pastorate indi- 

157 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

cate the same by the uplifted hand, or, pref- 
erably, by standing. This definitely marks 
off the part of the company who should have 
right of way in the meeting. State clearly 
that no others should speak and open the meet- 
ing for the ex-pastor's acquaintances. The 
testimonies naturally will be reminiscent. 
They will bless the former pastor as he hears 
of seed sown, perhaps in discouragement, com- 
ing to rich fruitage ; those who speak will have 
their own hearts settled in the faith ; while the 
listening company will share in the blessing 
of it all. When these are done, should there be 
time, let others speak. At the close have a 
general handshake so that old acquaintances 
may meet again and that the new members 
may make the acquaintance of another man 
of God into whose labors they have entered. 



227. The agape of the early Christian 
Church, once quite generally observed by our 
fathers under the name of "Love Feast," has 
in most places been dispensed with, so that 
multitudes who love God do not even know 
what such a service is like. The prayer meet- 
ing provides an excellent opportunity for the 

158 



SPECIAL PKAYER MEETINGS 

reestablishment of this beautiful service, 
which, though not a sacrament, is worthy to 
be perpetuated. 

228. Let it be observed just before or after 
the communion. 

229. Provide bread as for the sacrament, 
and water ; and, after the opening exercises of 
song, prayer, and Scripture reading, let the 
class leaders or other officers of the church, 
the company remaining seated, distribute them 
to all who are minded to receive them, having 
it understood that they who partake give token 
by that act of the love they bear to all others. 
During the distribution let some devotional 
hymns be sung softly. After the distribution 
open the meeting for an extended testimony 
service and make it a real "experience meet- 
ing" where those who speak (using, if they 
desire, more time than is commonly accorded) 
may relate the story of their surrender, their 
conversion, their consecration, their sanctifi- 
cation; their trials, heart wanderings, their 
backslidings and restorations; their soul 
struggles and soul triumphs. Intersperse the 
service with song. Here is a time and place, 
fitting indeed to employ the old-time class 
meeting method mentioned in paragraph 132. 

159 



VAEIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

Call upon each by name to speak, and after 
each one is done, take him by the hand and 
quote an appropriate verse of Scripture, or 
give some word of counsel or exhortation suit- 
able to his case. 

230. Those who make use of it will find this 
old-time service still charged with old-time 
power. 



160 



CHAPTER XI 
SOME OTHER THINGS WORTH WHILE 



231. 


Their place. 


232. 


The census. 


233. 


Topic cards. 


234. 


Ushers. 


235. 


Collection. 


236. 


Post office. 


237. 


Discuss church affairs. 


238, 239. 


Question drawer. 


240. 


"Quiz" period. 


241. 


Book review. 


242. 


Biography. 


243. 


Devotional literature. 


244. 


The absent leader. 


245-247. 


Letter Committee. 


248. 


Prayer Meeting Committee. 


249. 


Volunteers. 


250. 


Union prayer meeting. 


251. 


Prison and other prayer meetings. 


252. 


Recitation. 


253. 


Creed and Catechism. 


254. 


Prayer list. 


255, 256. 


Memory work. 


257-260. 


Prayer Meeting Scrapbook. 


261. 


The church paper. 


262. 


Printing. 



CHAPTER XI 

Some Other Things Worth While 
"All things to all men" — 1 Corinthians 9. 22. 

231. What the seven primary colors are to 
painting, the seven tones of the octave are to 
music, and the digits are to mathematics, 
prayer, Scripture, song, and testimony are to 
the prayer meeting. They are fundamental. 
As in painting, music, and mathematics, so 
here, the shifting of the fundamentals, the 
omission of one or more of them, and the 
changing of emphasis upon them give endless 
variety. But as in painting, music, and 
mathematics other things complement and 
complete the fundamentals, so in the prayer 
meeting there are other things which may, 
directly or indirectly, further enrich the serv- 
ice; and the leader who desires to excel does 
not hesitate to employ them when opportunity 
presents and wisdom directs. 

THE CENSUS 

232. It is very important to keep a record 
of prayer meeting attendance. (See para- 

163 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

graphs 10-14, 66, and 71.) In prayer meetings 
whose attendance is not over fifty the leader 
may easily ascertain by glancing over the com- 
pany during a song how many are present, but 
when more than that number come he will 
very likely find this method distracting. In 
the latter case appoint as many tellers as you 
have sections of seats, and just before the 
benediction let each report his section. Then 
add. Or, if preferred, appoint a secretary who 
shall count the company quietly when and in 
such manner as he may choose. In every case 
announce the attendance at the close of the 
service, and keep a permanent record of the 
same. 



TOPIC CARDS 

233. If you prepare topics for a quarter, six 
months, or a year, or use those prepared by 
others, it is well to have them neatly printed. 
Distribute the cards not only at the beginning 
of the period, but also at frequent intervals 
afterward, for the twofold reason that new 
attendants are continually coming into the 
service and that some persist in losing their 
cards. 

164 



SOME OTHER THINGS WORTH WHILE 
USHERS 

234. Provide your prayer meeting with 
ushers. Even though there be plenty of seats 
available yet the kindly service of an usher is 
a beautiful courtesy, one especially appre- 
ciated by the stranger who may enter your 
gates. Appoint young men to this office; the 
training they receive will prepare them for 
like service later in the great congregation. 

COLLECTION 

235. Perhaps your prayer meeting company, 
as such, has never had an opportunity to exer- 
cise itself along the practical lines of Chris- 
tian stewardship; that is, your people have 
never given anything so that they can say, 
"Our prayer meeting gave" the money to fur- 
nish a room in the hospital, to provide a strug- 
gling Sunday school with literature, to buy a 
wheel chair for some invalid, to buy an organ 
for a rescue home or mission, or to help any 
other worthy object, home or foreign, large or 
small. Provide the opportunity for them to 
come into the enjoyment of this pleasure by 
taking a collection, and, when you remit the 
contribution, do so in the name of the prayer 
meeting. The response to this opportunity 

165 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

will not only bless the recipient, but will more 
surely bless the givers, and will give, withal, 
not only variety to the prayer meeting, but 
also an added sense of its worth. 

POST OFFICE 

236. Use the post office. Post cards are 
cheap. Questions to be answered, topics to be 
discussed, and requests for any other contri- 
bution to the service can quickly and easily be 
placed in the hands of your helpers by this 
method. Furthermore, the recipients of such 
messages, however small, will always be 
pleased at the interest which manifests itself 
in such recognition. 

DISCUSS CHURCH AFFAIRS 

237. At times turn the prayer meeting into 
a forum for the discussion of some matter that 
relates to the life and work of the church, 
avoiding subjects which might engender con- 
troversy, and putting none forth but those the 
consideration of which can result only in 
mutual profit. 

QUESTION DRAWER 

238. Have a question drawer. All ques- 
tions should be submitted in writing, and the 

166 



SOME OTHER THINGS WORTH WHILE 

leader should reserve the right to discard any 
the answering of which in his judgment might 
not be helpful to the meeting. This method 
provides the fullest opportunity for those who 
have perplexities to state them without dis- 
closing their identity, and that in a place 
where they know their inquiries will receive 
fair consideration and a sympathetic answer, 
while at the same time it makes it easy to 
eliminate all controversial themes. 

239. The question drawer should be an- 
nounced beforehand, and all questions should 
be placed in the hands of the leader or in a 
"question box" before the service in which it 
is expected they are to be answered. The 
leader will thus have adequate opportunity to 
prepare for answering in a worthy way the 
questions proposed. 

"quiz period" 

240. Questions may also be introduced into 
the meeting by the "Quiz Period" method as 
outlined by Christian F. Reisner in Church 
Publicity (see Appendix B). Prepare" a list 
of questions relating to the Christian life; 
place a printed slip containing a complete list 
in the hands of each one present, and let volun- 

167 






VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

teers indicate by number the ones they desire 
answered. The leader thus has an opportunity 
to bring before his people a suggestive list of 
inquiries whose reading alone must be bene- 
ficial, while persons who may not have 
brought questions, or who cannot recall any 
at the moment, or who, because of timidity, 
fail to ask questions upon their own initia- 
tive, are thus helped to bring into the meeting 
inquiries which especially interest them. 

BOOK REVIEW 

241. If some book has gripped your heart 
for good, share the blessing with your prayer 
meeting family by presenting a review of the 
same at the midweek gathering. Then loan 
your volume, and also go into the book busi- 
ness for a while, imitating the fathers who 
carried books in their saddlebags, at least to 
the extent of letting it be known that you 
would be pleased to order copies for those who 
might desire them. 

BIOGRAPHY 

242. Take time occasionally to read appro- 
priate extracts from the biographies of the 
great and good of all the ages. These provide 

168 



SOME OTHER THINGS WORTH WHILE 

abundant material for the illustration of 
Scripture truth, and by revealing the strug- 
gles, disappointments, conflicts, and victories 
of others help those who hear to better living. 

DEVOTIONAL LITERATURE 

243. The devotional literature of the church 
is rich with soul-food which the leader will do 
well to bring to his people, at times, by read- 
ing or having read selected portions. Helpful 
tracts, placed in the hands of your people for 
distribution, will minister blessing both to 
those who carry and to those who receive them. 

THE ABSENT LEADER 

244. When the leader is absent, a letter or 
postal from him to be read in the gathered 
company will bring to his people all the joy 
that comes from expressed remembrance. 

LETTER COMMITTEE 

245. Appoint a letter committee whose duty 
it shall be to keep in touch with the absent 
ones of the prayer meeting family; otherwise 
it is likely that only occasionally will your 
service receive a message from them ; not that 
they are adverse to writing, but because they 

169 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

may not have thought about it and have not 
been encouraged to do it. Communications 
from absent ones in the hands of others than 
the committee should also be welcomed. 

246. This committee should also solicit 
communications from those who were once 
members of the prayer meeting family, but are 
now away permanently, to be read upon an 
appointed evening. Many will respond to such 
an invitation to the joy of the whole company. 

247. Do not save all your missionary letters 
for the missionary prayer meeting. The read- 
ing of one occasionally in a regular service 
will minister good to both cause and people. 

PRAYER MEETING COMMITTEE 

248. In some places the leader will find it 
advantageous to use a prayer meeting commit- 
tee, the size and personnel of which he should 
determine. The counsel and advice of these 
selected workers will add to his own efficiency, 
while in the work of preparing programs for 
special prayer meetings their help will be 
found invaluable. 

VOLUNTEERS 

249. If you have some prison work to be 
done, some sick ones or new families to be 

170 



SOME OTHER THINGS WORTH WHILE 

visited, some needy to be ministered unto, or 
any other Christlike service the members of 
your company might perform, and in its per- 
formance not only give but also get a blessing, 
do not always enlist your helpers privately. 
Call for volunteers. You will likely discover 
some who are willing to help whom private 
solicitation might pass by. Not all workers are 
willing or even capacitated to do all kinds of 
work; accordingly, it is well to let each indi- 
cate, by written slip or otherwise, the kind of 
service he wishes to render. The call for 
volunteers forestalls any from saying they 
never had a chance, while on the other hand, 
it helps the leader to utilize his forces to the 
fullest possible extent. 

UNION PRAYER MEETING 

250. Where the spirit of cooperation exists 
among the churches of any community, it will 
further help to magnify the great essentials 
upon which we agree, and minimize the non- 
essentials concerning which we differ, to hold 
union prayer meetings once every three 
months. This service should rotate among the 
churches. The time and place of each meeting 
should determine the details. 

171 



VAKIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

PRISON, HOSPITAL, AND KINDRED PRAYER 
MEETINGS 

251. Prayer meeting folks are the very ones 
to hold prison, hospital, shop, mission, and 
rescue home prayer meetings. The reason many 
have not done this kind of work lies in the 
fact that they have not been led to do it. The 
leader should meet the opportunity his com- 
munity affords in this line by enlisting his 
company for this gracious work, and sending 
them forth in small bands. He, himself, 
should not stay behind. Those who go will 
give, get, and bring a blessing. 

RECITATION 

252. Delight your prayer meeting family by 
having some one give a recitation. The 
pleasure of this exercise will be equaled by 
the profit which comes not only to the hearers 
but to the reader as well. And, since the reci- 
tation, like every other exercise, should not 
be contributed for its own, but for the prayer 
meeting's sake, the leader should see to it that 
the selection is in harmony with the prayer 
meeting spirit and that it is appropriate for 
the particular occasion, whether patriotic, 
temperance, missionary, or any other. 

172 



SOME OTHER THINGS WORTH WHILE 

\ 
CREED AND CATECHISM 

253. The leader may very appropriately in- 
troduce short studies of the creed and cate- 
chism into the prayer meeting. The presenta- 
tion of these great documents of the church 
will not only be a pleasure to those who have 
previously studied them, but will give pleasure 
and be of profit to those, and the number of 
such is too large by far, who have not given 
adequate time to their consideration. 

PRAYER LIST 

254. It is the privilege of Christians to be 
laboring for the salvation of souls always. 
Enlist your prayer meeting company definitely 
in this work. To this end provide each attend- 
ant with a "prayer list" card, that is, a card 
with a simple promise, pledging daily prayer 
and faithful personal effort for the salvation 
of those in whom the holder of the card is 
especially interested, followed by blank spaces 
for their names. Let the owners of the cards 
keep them in their Bibles as constant remind- 
ers of their privilege and duty. 

MEMORY WORK 

255. Have some memory work in your 
prayer meeting. Certainly. It will be worth 

173 



VAKIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

while. Very few of us ever take time to mem- 
orize a great thought from the world's best 
thinking about divine things, a stanza of some 
hymn, or even a verse of Scripture. We drift. 
Most of us, however, would be pleased if some 
one were to set us at the task, especially so, 
if they were to provide time for it and help 
us in its doing. Here lies the prayer meeting 
leader's opportunity. 

256. Gather your quotations from the Bible, 
the Hymnal, and from the world's devotional 
literature. Be a school teacher for five 
minutes. Use the blackboard and pointer. 
Have individuals read the quotation ; drill by 
sections, by ages; repeat in unison with and 
then without the blackboard. Review upon 
the week following. Young and old will like 
it and will carry out into life to enrich it for- 
ever some of the choicest "gems" of Holy 
Scripture and of the hymnology of the church, 
and some of the most sublime expressions of 
devotion which have sprung from the lips of 
devout men through all the ages. 

PRAYER MEETING SCRAPBOOK 

257. Have a prayer meeting scrapbook. The 
use of such a volume, so common in our homes, 

174 



SOME OTHER THINGS WORTH WHILE 

will help emphasize the homelike and family 
feeling that should characterize every prayer 
meeting; and, besides, the things that go into 
it will make it of great interest and value in 
later years. A substantial volume of the loose- 
leaf variety will serve this purpose admirably. 
258. Divide your book into departments, 
and at the top of each place a neat heading. 
You will want at least the eleven following : 

(1) Our spiritual birthdays. Under this head have 
each attendant write his or her name, together with 
the date and place of their conversion. Those who 
cannot give exact dates may give approximate time. 
This simple record will not only be intensely inter- 
esting, but will also magnify the great experience of 
the new birth. 

(2) Record of attendance. 

(3) Record of Scripture used. 

(4) Answered prayer. Those who make acknowl- 
edgment of answered prayers in the meeting should be 
encouraged to put the same into writing in not more 
than one hundred words for preservation in the scrap- 
book. Some who desire to acknowledge answers will 
not desire to give details. To accommodate such have 
a page headed thus: "We acknowledge answers to our 
prayers," and under this head merely enroll the names. 

(5) Memory gems. The quotations memorized by 
the company should be placed here. 

(6) Clippings. Men gather the best of all literature 
and publish it for profit; the prayer meeting company 
may do the same for spiritual profit. When some sub- 

175 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

Ject, as love, joy, peace, goodness, hope, mercy, faith, 
home, heaven, or any other suitable for this purpose, is 
announced, request the company to bring clippings or 
extracts which they have copied from their reading 
to be read in the service. After tbe reading give them 
permanent place in the scrapbook. 

(7) Visitors' page. Upon this page enter the names 
and addresses of visitors. 

(8) Letters from absent ones. 

(9) Letters from former attendants. 

(10) Letters from missionaries. 

Under these last three heads place all letters which 
belong to them respectively. 

(11) Illustrations. In this department place all pic- 
tures brought to the prayer meeting for the purpose of 
illustrating missionary or other subjects. 

259. Being merely a repository of the things 
which are contributed by the attendants to 
the service, the scrapbook itself should have 
a very inconspicuous place in the meeting. 
Keep it where those present may have the 
privilege of examining it in the social moments 
before or after the service. 

260. The care of the scrapbook should be in 
the hands of a custodian, or secretary, pref- 
erably some young person, appointed by the 
leader. 

THE CHURCH PAPER 

261. The church paper is one of the pastor's 
most efficient assistants. Weekly it widens 

176 



SOME OTHER THINGS WORTH WHILE 

the vision, deepens the sympathies, and nur- 
tures devotion. Invite those who receive it 
to share it with your company by setting 
apart twenty minutes of an appointed even- 
ing in which they may tell in their own words, 
briefly, what thing in some recent issue has 
appealed to them. Supplement, as may be 
needed, from your own marked copy, the con- 
tributions of others. A church paper "atmos- 
phere" will thus be created which will not 
only interest and bless for the moment, but 
will, when the canvass is made, add new names 
to the list of those whose homes welcome this 
helper in holy things. 

PRINTING 

262. Whatever printing you have done for 
your prayer meeting, see that it is neat and 
attractive. If so it will please ; and whatever 
pleases, draws. It will cost more, of course, 
but you can well afford to pay the difference. 



177 



CHAPTER XII 
THE BENEDICTION 






Paragraph 



263. Should be appropriate. 


264-278. Forms of benediction: 


265. 


Apostolic benediction. 


266. 


Protestant benediction. 


267. 


The Lord's Prayer. 


268. 


Extempore prayer. 


269. 


Scripture. 


270. 


Hymn. 


271. 


Israel's ancient formula. 


272. 


"A good meeting to-night." 


273. 


"Glad to see you." 


274. 


"Quaker" benediction. 


275. 


Aaronic benediction. 




(1) Epworth League. 




(2) Baptist Young People's Union. 


276. 


Mizpah, The United Society of Chris- 




tian Endeavor benediction. 


277. 


The "Gloria." 


278. 


A benediction indeed. 



CHAPTER XII 

The Benediction 
"Thy blessing is upon thy people." — Psalm 3. 8. 

263. If a prayer meeting whose freshness 
and beauty have been enhanced by the variety 
which has been put into it is to maintain its 
spirit, the element of happy surprise should 
be in it to the very end. That means that the 
benediction must not become stereotyped. 
Different prayer meetings call for different 
kinds of benediction, and it is wise to use them. 
Since the leader cannot know what turn the 
meeting will take, so he cannot with certainty 
tell beforehand which benediction will be most 
suitable. For instance, if the meeting seems 
(mark you, the word is "seems") to fall flat, 
he could not very appropriately use the exer- 
cise in which each is to say to the other, "We 
have had a good meeting to-night," for while 
no service of prayer really fails, there would 
be some to whom such a benediction would be 
meaningless, and, for them, out of place. The 
benediction should graciously crown the happy 

181 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

hour. To this end the leader should thor- 
oughly familiarize himself with all the forms 
of dismissal, so that if the one he had intended 
to use should not comport with the spirit of 
the meeting he may use another. Happily, 
benedictions are so numerous, and their char- 
acter so varied, as to adequately meet every 
demand the spirit of the meeting may lay upon 
them. 

264. Both leader and company will find 
pleasure and profit in the use of the following : 

265. The apostolic benediction, 2 Cor. 13. 
14: 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of 
God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with 
you all. Amen. 



266. The following, full of grace and 
beauty, taken chiefly from Scripture; a part 
of it from Phil. 4. 7, the remainder a para- 
phrase upon Num. 6. 24, 25, by its wide use 
among Protestant churches, may very prop- 
erly be called the Protestant benediction : 

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, 

keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love 

of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the 

blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the 

182 



THE BENEDICTION 

Holy Ghost, be among you, and remain with you always. 
Amen. 

267. Have all unite in repeating the Lord's 
Prayer : 

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it 
is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread: and 
forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that tres- 
pass against us: and lead us not into temptation, but 
deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the 
power, and the glory, forever. Amen. 

Any other prayer suitable for the purpose and 
familiar to all may be used in like form. 

268. Let the leader or some other person 
dismiss with extempore prayer. 

269. Let the closing be with some passage of 
Scripture, such as : 

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of 
my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my 
strength, and my redeemer. 

270. While singing a familiar hymn have 
a general handshake; or, have the handshake 
after the singing. A beautiful and appro- 
priate closing for the Agape Prayer Meeting 
(paragraphs 227-230) is for the company, like 
the disciples when they left the upper room 

183 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

in Jerusalem, after singing a hymn, to go out, 
quietly, dispensing with the usual social half 
hour. 

271. Liken the going forth of the prayer 
meeting company to the moving forward of 
Israel when on the way to Canaan, and then 
unitedly from memory repeat Israel's ancient 
formula, Num. 10. 35: 

Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; 
and let them that hate thee flee before thee. 

This is a militant but glorious benediction, fit 
indeed for saints who "must fight if they 
would reign." 

272. When one of those glorious occasions 
is enjoyed in which every one without excep- 
tion feels the blessedness of it, have everyone 
shake hands with at least three persons and 
say to each, "We have had a good meeting 
to-night." The mere saying so will bless 
hearts and prepare them to repeat it on the 
morrow out in the world. 

273. It may be truly said that everyone who 
attends prayer meeting is glad to see the neigh- 
bors and friends and especially strangers pres- 
ent, but how few ever say so ! Here is a chance 
for training in that beautiful courtesy. Have 

184 



THE BENEDICTION 

each one say to at least three others while 
shaking hands with them, "I am glad to see 
you to-night." Formality, if indeed it lingers 
to this moment, will be quickly dispelled by 
this expression of appreciation. 

274. That which in some parts is called the 
"Quaker benediction" makes a delightful clos- 
ing. It is a prayer couched in Quaker phrase- 
ology, whose petitions are for the richest 
things in grace — the blessing of God, his keep- 
ing, and that in all its fullness. Its use never 
fails to bless. Have each one shake hands 
with at least three others and say to each, 
"The Lord bless thee, and keep thee, and give 
thee a shouting blessing." If when this bene- 
diction is used somebody says "Praise the 
Lord!" or "Hallelujah!" it will not spoil the 
closing. 

275. The Aaronic benediction, Num. 6. 24- 
26, may be used according to the forms fol- 
lowed by two great societies of young people. 
(1) The Epworth League, thus: 

Leader. The Lord bless thee and keep thee. 
Response. The Lord make his face shine upon thee, 

and be gracious unto thee. 
All. The Lord lift up his countenance upon 

thee, and give thee peace. 
185 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

(2) And the Baptist Young People's Union, 
thus : 

All repeat. "The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The 
Lord' make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious 
unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon 
thee and give thee peace." 

276. Use the "Mizpah," Gen. 31, 49, of the 
United Society of Christian Endeavor: 

All repeat. "The Lord watch between me and thee, 
when we are absent one from another." 

277. The "Gloria" makes a beautiful bene- 
diction. Use it thus : 



Leader. 


Glory be to the Father, 


Response. 


Glory be to the Father, 


L. 


Glory be to the Son, 


R. 


Glory be to the Son, 


L. 


Glory be to the Holy Ghost; 


R. 


Glory be to the Holy Ghost; 


L. 


As it was in the beginning, 


R. 


As it was in the beginning, 


L. 


Is now, and ever shall be, 


R. 


Is now, and ever shall be, 


L. 


World without end. Amen. 


R. 


World without end. Amen. 



All sing the entire "Gloria." 

278. When the meeting is crowned with the 
conversion of souls, let the dismissal center 
about the new converts by every one shaking 

186 



THE BENEDICTION 

hands with them and wishing them well in 
the Christian life. Shake hands with each 
other; rejoice together, and sing, and shout, 
and keep God's heavenly host company, for 
"likewise shall joy be in heaven over one sin- 
ner that repenteth." A benediction like this 
is a benediction indeed ! 



187 



O thou by whom we come to God, 
The Life, the Truth, the Way; 

The path of prayer thyself hath trod: 
Lord, teach us how to pray! 

— James Montgomery. 



APPENDIX 

PRAYER MEETING BIBLIOGRAPHY 

A — Books 

Banks, Louis Albert. A Year's Prayer Meeting Talks. 
Pp. 289. 1889. Punk and Wagnalls Company: New 
York and London. 

Banks, Louis Albert. Illustrative Prayer Meeting 
Talks. Pp. 194. 1901. Fleming H. Revell Com- 
pany: New York, Chicago, Toronto, London, and 
Edinburgh. 

Banks, Louis Albert. Unused Rainbows. Pp. 194. 1907. 
This volume is the second edition of Illustrative 
Prayer Meeting Talks and is the same with the 
exception of the title. Fleming H. Revell Com- 
pany: New York, Chicago, Toronto, London, and 
Edinburgh. 

Campbell, James M. Bible Questions. Pp. 267. 1900. 
A volume of fifty-two studies based upon as many 
questions taken from Scripture. Funk and Wag- 
nalls Company: New York and London. 

Clark, F. E. Young People's Prayer Meeting.* Pp. 
167. 1887. Funk and Wagnalls Company: New 
York and London. 

Cowan, John F. New Life in the Old Pbayer Meet- 
ing.* Pp. 237. 1906. Fleming H. Revell Company: 
New York, Chicago, Toronto, London, and Edin- 
burgh. 

Groat, Wm. H. The Ideal Prayer Meeting. Out of 
print. Fleming H. Revell Company: New York, 
Chicago, Toronto, London, and Edinburgh. 
Note. — Volumes marked thus * contain, besides other 

material, lists of topics for prayer meetings. 
189 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

Haller, J. George. The Redemption of the Prayeb 
Meeting.* Pp. 222. 1911. The Methodist Book 
Concern: New York and Cincinnati; Publishing 
House of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South: 
Nashville, Tenn., and Dallas, Tex. 

Hiscox, B. T. The Stab Book on Prayeb Meeting.* 
Pp. 183. 1887. Ward and Drummond: New York. 

Lloyd, W. F. Two Years in a Growing Prayer Meet- 
ing. Pp. 122. 1907. Publishing House of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, South: Nashville, 
Tenn., and Dallas, Tex. 

Meyer, F. B. Mr. Meyer writes the introduction to 
One Hundred Prayeb Meeting Talks and Plans. 
Pp. 544. 1911. F. M. Barton: Cleveland, O. 

Ogburn, Cal. The Young People's Pbayeb Meeting, 
and Its Impbovement. Christian Publishing Com- 
pany: Saint Louis. 

Randall, Edwin M. The Devotional Meeting. Pp. 104. 
1910. The Methodist Book Concern: New York and 
Cincinnati. 

Richardson, Norman E. Editor Pbesent-Day Prayer- 
Meeting Helps. Pp. 139. 1910. The Methodist 
Book Concern: New York and Cincinnati. 

Thompson, Lewis O. How to Conduct Pbayeb Meeting. 
Out of print. Fleming H. Revell Company: New 
York, Chicago, Toronto, London, and Edinburgh. 

Thompson, Lewis O. The Pbayer Meeting and Its 
Improvement. Out of print. W. G. Holmes: Chi- 
cago. 

Wells, Amos R. Pbayeb Meeting Methods. Pp. 174. 
1896. United Society of Christian Endeavor: Bos- 
ton and Chicago. 

Young, R. Importance of the Pbayeb Meeting. Out 
of print. The Methodist Book Concern: New York 
and Cincinnati. 

190 



APPENDIX 

Prayer Meeting Talks. Pp. 428. 1910. Names of 
authors are not given. Publishing House of the 
Evangelical Association: Cleveland, O. 

B. — Books with Parts Devoted to the 
Prayer Meeting 

Beecher, Henry Ward. Yale Lectures on Preaching. 
Two chapters covering sixty-one pages are found 
in this volume. These lectures were delivered in 
1873. The Pilgrim Press: Boston and Chicago. 

Clark, Francis E. A chapter by this author appears in 
Pledge Promptings. 1912. United Society of 
Christian Endeavor: Boston and Chicago. 

Graham, Henry. The Preacher and His Work. 1906. 
Pages 60 to 66 of Chapter VIII are devoted to the 
prayer meeting. The Methodist Book Concern: 
New York and Cincinnati. 

Reisner, Christian F. Workable Plans for Wide- 
awake Churches. 1906. Chapter VII is devoted to 
the "Midweek Prayer Service: Interest and Profit." 
The Methodist Book Concern: New York and Cin- 
cinnati. 

Reisner, Christian F. Church Publicity. 1913. Eleven 
pages, 246-256, of Chapter XII, "Morning and mid- 
week methods," are given to the prayer meeting. 
Here may be found the list of eighty-six questions 
used by Dr. Reisner in his "Quiz Period" (see 
paragraph 240 in chapter on "Some Other Things 
Worth While"). The Methodist Book Concern: 
New York and Cincinnati. 

C. — Tracts and Pamphlets 

Hoyt, D. D. The Prayer Meeting. Pp. 4. American 

Baptist Publication Society: Philadelphia, Pa. 

191 



VARIETY IN THE PRAYER MEETING 

Nordell, Phillip A. The Modern Church. Lesson X, 
pages 62-68, deal with "The Prayer or Conference 
Meeting." Charles Scribner's Sons: New York. 

Pope, H. W. Prayer Meeting Plans. Pp. 18. United 
Society of Christian Endeavor: Boston and Chicago. 

Wells, Amos R. How to Lead: Hints for Leaders 
of Christian Endeavor Prayer Meeting. Pp. 12 
1900. United Society of Christian Endeavor: Bos- 
ton and Chicago. 

Hints on Taking Part in Prayer Meeting. Pp. 4 
1898. United Society of Christian Endeavor: Bos 
ton and Chicago. 

It's a Long Hard Step from Sunday to Sunday With 
out Help. Pp. 6. Woolverton Printing and Pub- 
lishing Company: Osage, la. 

Compact of the One Hundred. Woolverton Printing 
and Publishing Company: Osage, la. 

Prayer Meeting Invitation Folder. Pp. 4. Woolver- 
ton Printing and Publishing Company: Osage, la. 

We Hope to See You at Prayer Meeting. Woolverton 
Printing and Publishing Company: Osage, la. 



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